Nizhny Novgorod airport to become major regional hub

The Government of the Nizhny Novgorod region, JSC International Airport Nizhny Novgorod, airlines Tatarstan and AK BARS AERO signed an agreement of intent to develop inter-regional air routes. The agreement provides for an increase of the transit capacity in regional air transportations.

The Governor of the Nizhny Novgorod region Valery Shantsev, general director of JSC International Airport Nizhni Novgorod, Alexander Sinelnikov, CEO of  Tatarstan airline Aksan Giniyatullin and CEO of AK BARS AERO, Peter Trubaev, signed the document. Within the framework of this cooperation, agreements have been reached on opening a dozen of directions that enjoy  the biggest popularity among the residents of Nizhny Novgorod.  It goes about five western routes (St. Petersburg, Kaliningrad, Rostov-on-Don, Mineral Waters, Sochi) and five eastern ones (Yekaterinburg, Perm, Ufa, Samara, Novosibirsk). The flights between Nizhny Novgorod and the above-mentioned cities are to be launched before the end of 2012.

The governor of the Nizhny Novgorod region Valery Shantsev said during the signing ceremony: "Tatarstan and the Nizhny Novgorod Region are the largest regions in the Volga Federal District, and they need to develop cooperation, including in the air traffic industry. This will lead to the development of business and economic growth in both regions."

Mr. Shantsev assured that the regional government would take all measures for the implementation of such an important agreement.

According to General Director of JSC Tatarstan Airline Aksan Giniyatullin, the agreement is intended to revive the air transportation in the Volga Federal District. Alexander Sinelnikov believes that the launch of new flights will turn the Nizhniy Novgorod airport into a hub that will ensure the needs of the residents of the city and the region in air transportation in Russia. The new routes will also connect eastern and western cities of Russia.

JSC International Airport Nizhny Novgorod serves international and domestic flights. The company is a primary emergency airfield in the hub of Moscow airports. JSC Koltsovo Airport (Yekaterinburg) owns 74.9997 percent of shares of JSC International Airport Nizhny Novgorod. The Nizhny Novgorod region owns the remaining shares of the company.

The agreement of intent regulates the activities of Tatarstan and AK BARS AERO airlines, as well as of the Nizhny Novgorod airport for the development of air transportation. The flight schedule for CRJ-200 and A-319 aircraft will be developed with a focus on connection and mass lines. "We highly appreciate the potential of the regional aviation market, so we assume that the selected program will be successful and effective," General Director of JSC AK BARS AERO Peter Trubaev said.