Aeroflot Boosts Tickets on Moscow-DFO Routes with "Fixed Fares"
Aeroflot Shakes Up Flight Offerings and Affordability in Far East Regions
In a move geared towards improving air travel accessibility for residents in the Far East, Aeroflot, Russia's flag carrier, has upped its game this year. Expanding flight geography from 5 to 9 regions, the airline has increased the number of tickets for "flat fare" flights to Khabarovsk, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, among others. The influx of seats on these flights has swollen by a substantial 4.5%, according to Khabarovsk Krai Today news agency reports.
Tourism Boom on the Horizon
The pool of travelers bound for the Far East is set to burst, with Aeroflot planning to link Khabarovsk, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, and Vladivostok via flights this summer. As we call time on 2024, it's expected that a staggering 1.5 million passengers will have hopped a flight to the Far East at special fares—that's a whopping 132,000 more than the last year.
Supporting Local Connectivity
Aeroflot's decisions in the Far East aren't lip service. The measures the regional government has championed have set fire to the increase in passenger traffic on local airlines. A smoldering 71,600 passengers were ferried on local routes back in 2020, and it's projected that this figure will balloon to an impressive 101,700 passengers by 2024.
Not just limited to the Far East, Aeroflot also caters to certain categories of citizens such as youngsters 12-23, senior ladies over 55, gentlemen over 60, the I group disabled, and children with disabilities (with accompanying persons), as well as II or III group disabled individuals from childhood. For these groups, airline tickets are slashed to half the price of regular fares and the program is valid all year round. The state subsidizes interregional transportation.
While specifics about the funding of these subsidized programs aren't freely available, Aeroflot's flat fare strategy itself works as a subtle form of financial relief for passengers from these regions. The airline continues to enhance the traveler's experience in the Far East by launching national gastronomic sets on flights from the Far East and Siberia, demonstrating its commitment to a hassle-free journey and possible ambitions to draw more travelers. However, the specific passenger transportation numbers by 2025 and the details of myriad subsidies aren't easily accessible at the moment.
In this summer, Aeroflot is planning to link Khabarovsk, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, and Vladivostok via flights, potentially contributing to a travel lifestyle boom in the Far East regions. By 2024, it's expected that over 1.5 million passengers will have traveled to the Far East at special fares, indicating a significant increase in tourism.
