Kaliningrad Airport Becomes A Chinese Aviation Hub

Alexander Korytny, the CEO of Kaliningrad’s Khrabrovo Airport has stated that the airport is actively working with Chinese airlines as a service hub for Western Europe. Korytny said that “We are actively cooperating with Chinese airlines, having made a pivot to the East. We are working with five leading Chinese airlines through the government of Kaliningrad Region and the office of Chinese president. A number of documents have been worked out that could help us establish closer cooperation with partners through China’s leadership.”

The Russian side sees Khrabrovo more as a transit hub for Chinese airlines on the way to Western Europe and other destinations, for both passenger and cargo traffic. Kaliningrad could also become a layover point for Chinese tourists on their journey to other countries, Korytny said.

Korytny said that in mid-2023, the Russian Federal Air Transport Agency had established an open skies regime at Khrabrovo, making it simpler for airlines to secure approval and permission for flights regardless of the number of designated flights as part of frequency parity between countries.

“We want to insert Kaliningrad into the already established air route between China, Moscow and St. Petersburg that operated before the covid pandemic. Some Chinese airliners made up to 60 flights per week. There is hope that the flow of Chinese tourists to the country will recover – it hasn’t reached pre-pandemic figures yet,” Korytny said. Khrabrovo is one of Russia’s 20 largest airports by passenger traffic, handled 4.3 million passengers in 2023. Kaliningrad borders Poland and Lithuania.