News

From July 15^th 2009 “Aeroflot-Nord” has temporary suspended operations on Arkhangelsk – Tromso and Murmansk – Tromso routes. This was caused by the European aviation authorities  decision to ban Aeroflot-Nord’s flights to Tromso.

The ban was caused by misinterpretation from the European aviation authorities’ side of the Federal Aviation Agency of the Russian Federation (Rosaviatsiya) decision from 03/06/2009 which states, “to impose restrictions from 15/06/2009 on the CJSC “Aeroflot-Nord” international charter operations in the form of restrictions in international charter flights”.

Misinterpretation of the above mentioned decision regarding the “Arkhangelsk-Murmansk-Tromso” flight consists, first of all, in the fact that this flight is regular, not charter, and secondly, that restrictions were imposed only on those international flights which were to be started after 15/06/2009, that is these restrictions concern only new international charter flights.

Considering the current situation, “Aeroflot-Nord” has temporary suspended sales for “Arkhangelsk-Tromso” and “Murmansk-Tromso” flights. At the same time, “Arkhangelsk-Murmansk” flight is operated as usual, tickets for the flight are available in all ticket offices.

All passengers who appeared to be in Tromso during the ban period received ticket refund and were offered to reach their destination points via an alternative route – to Kirkenes by a Norwegian airline, then by bus to Murmansk. All passengers whose destination point is Arkhangelsk are offered to reach Arkhangelsk via Moscow with an overnight in Murmansk, all for “Aeroflot-Nord” account.  17 passengers have already used the alternative way, while 7 passengers (generally passengers from Norway) refused from their trips.

At the current moment, 104 tickets from Arkhangelsk and Murmansk to Tromso for 4 flights within the period from July 22^nd to August 1^st  have been sold; from Tromso to Arkhangelsk and Murmansk – 46 tickets. If the ban is not lifted before the specified dates, all passengers will be offered to reach their destination points via alternative routes.

At the present moment negotiations with the European aviation authorities concerning the “Aeroflot-Nord” operations to Tromso ban lifting are in progress. In particular, Deputy Chief of the Federal Aviation Agency of the Russian Federation Vladimir Chertok has sent the European aviation authorities explanations of the Russian authorities’ position. The continuation of the flight is supported by the Governors of the Arkhangelsk and Murmansk Regions. The flight Arkhangelsk-Murmansk-Tromso is considered to be regular. It has been operated on the An-24 aircraft type for more than 15 years. Neither Russian nor Norwegian authorities has ever had any problems with the technical side of the flight by “Aeroflot-Nord”.

First the flight was operated once a week. After a couple of years the flight began to be operated 3-4 times a week, which indicates great demand for the flight among passengers from the Arkhangelsk and Murmansk Regions. The number of passengers from Norway and other Scandinavian countries is constantly growing, which is due to the growth in business and inter-personal ties between the two territories of the Barents Region, also within joint international projects. A lot of Russian citizens study and work in Norway, there are strong family ties between our regions, while the Russian community in Tromso continues to grow. 176 “Arkhangelsk-Murmansk- Tromso” flights were operated in 2008 with 16 053 passengers. “Aeroflot-Nord” plans to develop the flight and to connect it with the Republic of Komi and the Nenets Autonomous Region.