THE Russian Federation's Federal Agency for Air Transport Agency (FAATA) has welcomed Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia’s suggestion to launch direct flights from Russia to Cebu and vice versa.
This was announced by the governor during her meeting with Lev Kosinov, the head of the Department of Transportation Regulation and International Cooperation of FAATA.
Kosinov stated during a meeting that they are open to the idea of Russian fleet flying directly to Mactan Cebu International Airport, as long as there is a market and it is profitable.
According to Kosinov, some airlines, like Aeroflot Russian Airlines, have expressed interest in launching direct flights.
However, Russia's transport authorities clarified that there hasn't been much interest to establish direct flights from their nation to Cebu yet.
They continued by saying that data indicates that the two destinations are not yet at the point where they can be made profitable based on market indicators.
Despite the low demand for full commercial flights at the moment, Kosinov noted that travel firms can still make this happen with effective marketing.
Both sides agreed to work together in order for their plans to be realized.
Capitol officials also considered creating travel packages that will entice Russians to invest in Cebu and visit the city.
Garcia extended an invitation to the Russian authorities to come to Cebu in August so they could talk about the specifics of carrying out their intended plan.
The governor assured that Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) is prepared to accommodate planes from Russia. (ANV, TPT)