An ‘End to the Absurd’? Ever More Russian Air Routes Don’t Go Through Moscow

Paul Goble

            Staunton, Aug. 1 – Domestic air routes in Soviet times were notorious for the fact that to go from one region in the country to another, even one right next door, it was necessary to fly through Moscow, a system that until covid and sanctions arising from Putin’s war in Ukraine remained largely unchanged (windowoneurasia2.blogspot.com/2020/04/almost-like-in-soviet-times-aeroflot.html).

            But now Russian aviation officials say the situation is changing and for the better: According to Dmitry Yadrov, the head of Russian Aviation, 63 percent of all domestic passenger routes now “bypass Moscow” -- far less than 10 percent only two or three years ago, an expert adds (svpressa.ru/society/news/424635/).

            This represents an enormous increase in efficiency but it also reflects the decline in the number of airports and flights, developments which mean that to be cost-effective, flights must pass through several regional hubs before they have enough passengers to justify themselves (windowoneurasia2.blogspot.com/2020/04/russian-airways-now-servicing-fewer.html).

            Being able to fly from one regional capital to another without going through Moscow will likely have another consequence Moscow officials and experts aren’t yet talking about but certainly have reason to fear: such possibilities will make the expansion of regionally based identities more likely as people from neighboring regions expand their contacts more easily.