The Russian government is soon expected to add the airport of Kaliningrad to the list of destinations donated from the Federal Budget.

The recent increase in air traffic has been stimulated by the Russian government which aids services to certain destinations and certain categories of air travelers. In particular, the government donates air services linking Moscow and St. Petersburg with Russia’s Far East. The actual air traffic volumes on these routes are twice more than those registered a year ago. Shortly, same donation measures will apply to air services to Kaliningrad. If so, this will further stimulate the rise.

The Russian government has been also providing more funds for development of the ground infrastructure of the nation’s air transportation system. According to Eugeny Chibirev, president of the Air Transport Operators Association, there has been “a substantial increase“ in the volume of the state aid in this area

“There are some achievements, but please no illusions. The points of rise are few”, Chibirev said, however. In particular, he explained the rise in air traffic this year comes after a sharp drop the year before. The drop in Russian traffic last year was much bigger than that in the rest of the world.