Transaero to fly Cebu

Announced daily flight starting November!

January 3, 2009

Moscow- Transaero Airlines has announced over the weekend that they will be introducing daily flights to Cebu, in the Philippines starting on the second week of November 2010. Flights will be flying out from Moscow Domodedovo airport.

The route will be service daily by a Boeing 747-400 direct to the Philippine island of Cebu, the airline statement said. Transaero has been flying chartered flights to the Philippines since 2006 ferrying Russian tourist destined for holiday resorts in Bohol, Aklan and Cebu, the airline said.

The Moscow-based airline has recently been granted the rights to fly regular service to the Philippines by Russia's Transport Ministry after the government amended its Air Services Agreement with the Philippines in December 1 last year granting three entry/exit points between the two countries in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Vladivostok in Russia for destinations in Manila, Cebu and Clark in the Philippines.

Russia's Civil Aviation Ministry Ministerstvo Grazhdahnskoy Aviahtsii, said that Transaero is the second biggest international airline in Russia and the third largest in terms of passengers carried, next to Aeroflot and Siberian Airlines (S7) having carried close to 4.85 million passengers, which is an increase of 50% on the previous year. Aeroflot carried 9.3 million passengers while S7 transported 5.9 million in 2008.

Transaero transported more international passengers where it carried 4.23 million ranking it second behind Aeroflo as compared to its domestic operation where it transported just 626,000 passengers in 2008 ranking it 10th among Russian domestic airlines.

The airline operates a modern fleet of 55 planes with 15 more on orders, mostly comprising aircraft built outside Russia and the CIS such as Boeing 747, 777, 767 and 737 sub-types.

Aeroflot, which owned the right to fly the Philippines capital, is mulling a code-share deal with Philippine Airlines as its code-share partner in a bid to re-introduce the Moscow-Manila run this year , while Vladivostok Air, Russia's largest far east-based airline aims to establish regular flights between Vladivostok and Manila. Currently, the airline flies charter flights to Manila and Cebu.

RP, Russia sign air services accord

TransAero coming to Manila

By CHARISSA M. LUCI
December 5, 2009

Filipinos who intend to fly to Russia don’t need to take connecting flights to reach that country following the signing of air services agreement (ASA) between the Philippines and the Russian Federation that signals the opening of Cebu-Moscow direct flights, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) announced Friday.

The Philippine Embassy in Moscow reported to its home office that the ASA was signed on December 1 by Transportation and Communications Undersecretary Doroteo A. Reyes II and Deputy Minister for Transport Valeriy Mikhailovich Okulov.

In a statement, the DFA said the air pact is “set to facilitate and intensify two-way tourism, trade and investment, and cultural exchanges through the opening of direct flights between the Philippines and Russia.”

The new agreement will replace the 1992 RP-Russia ASA. which now allow all Russian carriers limited flight frequencies from any three points in Russia to three points in the Philippines, namely Manila, Clark, and another destination (such as Cebu, Davao, Iloilo) and vice-versa.

Philippine Ambassador to Russia Victor G. Garcia III, who witnessed the signing, described the recently-signed pact as “important vehicle” that will intensify the 32-year old diplomatic relations between the two countries.

During the pre-signing meeting held on Nov. 30, Russian carrier Transaero and the Philippine Airlines discussed the opening of chartered flights between Cebu and Moscow.

“Both sides expressed hope that this exercise will materialize as soon as possible and lead to eventual opening of regular scheduled flights,” the DFA said.

The amended bilateral air services agreement had been endorsed by the government through Tourism Secretary Ace Durano to Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in June 2009 at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.

“We have intensively campaigned to open the Philippine skies further to address the influx of Russian tourists,” said Durano.

During Mrs. Arroyo’s three-day visit to Russia that ended on June 6, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev assured his government’s nod to the signing of the bilateral air services agreement.

The assurance was made during their 45-minute bilateral meeting last June on the sidelines of the 13th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum right after her South Korea visit.