Sky Gates Airlines began commercial operations on Monday, October 10, approximately one month after it secured its Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC) from Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsia).

As previously reported, the start-up has leased a B747-400(F), from Azerbaijan's Silk Way West Airlines and is using it on regular flights from Moscow Sheremetyevo to Baku and Maastricht. A second of the type is expected in the near future.

In the longterm, Sky Gates says it plans to develop Ramenskoye into an intercontinental freight hub offering flights across Europe, the Middle East, Asia as well as the rest of the world.