More Russian carriers take over VIM Airlines’ Far East routes

Russia’s Ikar Airline, which operates under Pegas Fly brand, will take over VIM Airlines’ service to Anadyr in Russia’s Far East as VIM ceases  scheduled services following financial turbulence, the Chukotka region government said in a statement Oct. 20.

Deputy governor Leonid Nikolaev said Krasnoyarsk-based Ikar confirmed it will launch Moscow Sheremetyevo-Anadyr Boeing 767 services from March 2018; ticket sales will start in November.

Currently, UTair Aviation is the only carrier to provide service on the route. UTair will carry passengers with tickets for VIM Airlines flights through Oct. 28 if free seats are available.

In addition, the Russian government issued a statement saying an agreement had been reached with Far East Yakutia Airlines to increase frequencies on Anadyr-Magadan and Pevek-Moscow services from weekly to 2X-weekly.

Also, the Chukotka government is negotiating with Aeroflot subsidiary Aurora Airline and S7 Airlines to develop the route network to neighboring regions, including Anadyr-Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and Anadyr-Yakutsk-Novosibirsk services.

Chukotka is in a remote region of Russia, wedged between the Pacific and the Arctic oceans; half of its territory is beyond the Arctic Circle. Because of the region’s location, the government considers transport development to be very important.