Number of air routes to increase in Moldova in summer 2018

Chisinau, 19 March /MOLDPRES/ – The aviation industry will switch to the summer schedule and will start summer operational season 2018 on the last day of March. The Moldovan Civil Aviation Authority (AACM) made statements to this effect, noting that the number of flights would be significantly increased next summer.

The Director of AACM of Moldova, Radu Bezniuc, stated at a press conference today on occasion of summer programme that in 2018 it is a marked upward trend in number of air flights scheduled for the season which would obviously bring a much larger flow of passengers through Chisinau International Airport (AIC).

According to the source, a record number of flights to and from Moscow will be operated this season – up to 77 flights per week. Similarly, the number of flights to Bucharest will increase considerably – from 19 to 30 races per week.

St. Petersburg will run 19 weekly flights, compared to seven in the winter season. Kiev destination will most likely be operated after July 2018, twice a day, following the liberalisation of market with Ukraine.

And for race to Vienna, frequency of flights will be increased, with more flights going to London, Warsaw, Paris, Rome, Bologna and Dublin. At the same time, up to 32 weekly flights will be held in summer season to Antalya.

The novelty of the season is development of flight to Tel Aviv, following the signing of the Intergovernmental Agreement with Israel. Due to this, a new race to Tel Aviv will be launched from 06 May 2018, with a frequency twice a week.

Similarly, Lowcost races will be supplemented. Several companies will operate flights to Athens and Frankfurt.

According to AACM, national operators come to 2018 summer season with new destinations. As such, there will be launched flights to Ekaterinburg and Voronezh.

"The significant increase in number of scheduled flights from AIC during summer season denotes that the Moldovan airline market continues to develop. On some destinations we see fierce competition, which will also involve a close fight for passengers. As a result, impact will be beneficial to passengers, which will certainly only benefit from variety of take – off times and price quotations from operators," said Bezniuc.

According to the results of 2017 presented by AACM, national companies transported 1,640,4 thousand passengers, with 44,6 per cent more than in 2016. Also, during the same period, the civil aviation enterprises paid taxes budget over MDL 230 million.

On last Sunday of March of each year, aviation industry switches to summer schedule that remains valid until last Sunday of October.

(Reporter A. Zara, editor L. Alcaza)