Skopje, 21 September 2021 (MIA) – The arrival of the first flight from Pulkovo Airport to Skopje International Airport on Tuesday officially marks the inauguration of a direct flight from Saint Petersburg to Skopje. The airline, operated by the Russian company Nordwind Airlines, will fly out once a week, each Tuesday. The arrival time will be at 1:35 pm and departures will be at 2:40 pm. The flight lasts three hours and 25 minutes. “This flight from Skopje to Saint Petersburg is being established for the first time in the history of Macedonian airports. We believe that Macedonian passengers will take advantage of the possibility to discover the historical and cultural heritage of this beautiful harbor of the Baltic Sea, the former imperial capital of Russia described in Russian literature. Simultaneously, the citizens of Saint Petersburg will be able to enjoy the beauties of North Macedonia and its neighboring countries in a mere three hours and 25 minutes,” says TAV Macedonia General Director Metin Batak. According to Nordwind Airlines’ Revenue Management Analyst, Ibrahim Yildiz, this is the second direct line after the Skopje-Moscow line established in June 2021. “We’re starting once a week, each Tuesday, with a very comfortable schedule. As one of Russia’s leading airlines with eight million passengers per year, and a 60-aircraft fleet, we’re offering the passengers the opportunity to explore Saint Petersburg’s extraordinary history, architecture, nature, and many other attractions,” Yildiz said. Minister of Transport and Communications Blagoj Bochvarski welcomed the inauguration of the Saint Petersburg-Skopje flight, expressing his belief in its potential and benefits for the citizens, as well as the citizens of the Russian Federation due to the opportunity for increasing business relations, tourist visits, and improving the friendly relations between the two countries. Bochvarski took the opportunity to note that North Macedonia has been marking a positive trend of rising numbers in air traffic, unlike last year when there were flight restrictions due to the pandemic. Bochvarski said that the priority is to renew and increase the number of airlines during this period. “There has been a 48% increase in flights from both airports in this country in the period between January-August 2021 as opposed to the same period last year. The Skopje airport has recorded a 51% increase, whereas the Ohrid airport has reported a 17.4% increase. Cargo transport has increased by 60%, which proves that airline operations have increased in regards to last year, and it points to movement in air traffic,” Bochvarski said. There are flights to 39 destinations throughout Europe and the world from the Skopje International Airport, and 10 from the Ohrid airport, but this number will increase, according to the Minister. “Nordwind Airlines is one of the seven best Russian companies, offering flights to over 200 destinations. It transports people from 95 cities in 20 countries and it has 650 flights a week. Around 150,000 passengers use its services each week. In 2019, before the pandemic, Nordwind Airlines transported nearly 8 million passengers. It operates 33 Airbus and Boing planes.” dk/ba/