Crimea Mulls Restoration Of Commercial Flights Suspended Since 2022

The head of the Republic of Crimea, Sergei Aksyonov, has met with the director of the Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsia), Dmitry Yadrov, to discuss the prospects of resuming flights to the peninsula. He stated that “We discussed the future restoration of the aviation link and a number of issues concerning the material and technical state of Simferopol’s Aivazovsky International Airport. Without flights, Crimea is losing a certain share of tourists. Despite its temporary closure, the airport is undergoing all necessary maintenance checks, and we are ready to reopen the airport immediately upon receipt of such an order from President Vladimir Putin.”

Simferopol is the Republic of Crimea capital city. There have been no flights to and from the airport since February 2022. In 2021, it serviced 6.8 million people; 27% of tourists in Crimea arrived by aircraft. From 2014 to 2021, the airport only serviced domestic flights because of sanctions imposed on Crimea after it became part of Russia.

The discussions appear to raise the possibility that Russia feels the war in Ukraine may be drawing to a conclusion and that normal operations may soon be able to resume in the region.