Business news

MINSK, 8 October (BelTA) – The Belavia air company is gearing up to launch a flight from Minsk to Odessa, BelTA learned from Olga Gerasenko, the head of advertising and communications at Belavia.

"We are doing some preparatory work on the Minsk-Odessa flight, undertaking an additional study into the demand for such a route. If it happens that the air service between Russia and Ukraine is discontinued, we will launch this flight as of 25 October,” she said. Previously Belavia was going to set up this flight in the summer of 2016.

As was reported recently, Ukraine banned flights by Russian companies, primarily Aeroflot and Transaero, to Ukraine, and also banned, partially or completely, transit flights by Russian air carriers across the country. Russia closed sky to Ukraine in response to the flight ban.

Belavia is the largest air carrier in Belarus by the number of passengers and cargoes it transports. In January 2014 the Belarusian airline acquired a legal status of an open joint stock company. Belavia operates 27 aircraft, and offers regulars flights to 46 destinations in Europe and Asia. Belavia joined the International Air Transport Association (IATA) in 1997 and the European Regions Airline Association (ERAA) in 2010. In January-August 2015 Belavia’s passenger traffic increased by 5% over the same period last year.