Russia’s Rossiya Airlines begin services to RAK Airport

Our Correspondent

A new service to Russia has opened up from Ras Al Khaimah International Airport (RAK Airport) through a partnership with Rossiya Airlines. The airline directly connects the UAE’s northernmost emirate to nine destinations in the world’s largest country.

The inaugural flight arrived on April 2 from the Russian city of Yekaterinburg, which is Russia’s fourth largest city and the second largest in Siberia. Rossiya Airlines flight FV 5633 touched down at 08:35 am at RAK Airport.

There will be weekly flights to and from major cities in Russia, including the capital Moscow and St. Petersburg, its second largest city. There are services also to Kazan, Samara, Yekaterinburg, Nizhny Novgorod, Perm, Ufa and Rostov-on-Dov.

Salem Bin Sultan Al-Qasimi, Chairman of Department of Civil Aviation and Ras Al Khaimah International Airport, noted that the service will be instrumental in bringing in a greater number of Russian visitors to experience the unique attractions of Ras Al Khaimah. Russia is one of the UAE’s top source countries for tourism, and business between the two countries is also important for bilateral growth and development.

Sanjay Khanna, Chief Executive Officer of Ras Al Khaimah International Airport, said the services expand the airport’s reach to new destinations, and offer customers a broader selection to choose from when planning their travel through RAK Airport. The opening of visa-free travel policy between Russia and the UAE in February 2019 is an attraction for travellers.

Currently the UAE’s fastest growing aviation hub, RAK airport’s recent expansion phase include increased flights throughout India and Kazakhstan.

On April 6, the first flight from Moscow will touch down at 7:05 am at RAK Airport. On the same date, there will be a flight from Ufa and Perm at 9:30 and 19:20 respectively. While Ufa is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Bashkortostan, Perm is located on the banks of the Kama River near the Ural Mountains.

On April 8, there will be flights from Kazan, the capital and largest city of the Republic of Tatarstan; St. Petersburg, the cultural capital; Samara, Russia’s eighth largest city; and Rostov-on-Don, a port city.

April 10 will see a weekly flight arriving from Nizhny Novgorod, the sixth largest city in Russia and second most populous on the Volga river, Europe’s longest river.