Aeroflot has deployed its most modern and comfortable Airbus A350 aircraft on the Moscow-Sochi route. It was originally intended to be used on international routes, but due to their unavailability, the liner currently serves domestic resort destinations, reports Travel.ru's own correspondent.
The Airbus A350 has already made several flights to Sochi during peak travel times in June, and since July 1, it has been operating on this route daily. Its standard departure time from Moscow (Sheremetyevo Airport) is 10:25 a.m., with a return flight from Sochi at 2:35 p.m.
However, the schedule may change during peak periods. Specifically, on Friday and Sunday, July 3 and 5, there will be two Airbus A350 flights: at 9:05 and 18:00 from Moscow, and at 13:10 and 22:00 from Sochi. Those wishing to fly the Airbus A350 on other Fridays and Sundays should be aware that the aircraft may also be rescheduled from late morning departures from Moscow to morning and evening flights.
Aeroflot currently operates eight flights per day to Sochi, down from the 12 planned before the pandemic. An Airbus A350 has not yet been scheduled for August, but its service to Sochi may well continue if international flights remain suspended.
Aeroflot ordered the Airbus A350-900 in a three-class configuration with 316 seats. Of these, 28 are in Business Class (7 rows of 4 lie-flat seats with direct aisle access for each passenger), 24 are in Premium Economy Class (3 rows of 8 seats in a 2-4-2 configuration), and 264 are in regular Economy Class (3-3-3 configuration). Aeroflot was supposed to receive at least 14 Airbus A350s, but delivery of the second and subsequent aircraft of this type was delayed due to the coronavirus epidemic. They will replace the Airbus A330s as they are retired from the fleet.
Passengers and tourists planning to travel anywhere in the coming months should carefully consider the necessity and feasibility of travel. For most airlines, the risk of last-minute flight cancellations due to low capacity or government decisions remains high. Furthermore, quarantines remain in place for incoming tourists in certain regions of Russia, making travel a sham. Before any trip, it's important to double-check the regulations in place at your destination—they can change at any time without prior notice. In addition to quarantines, regulations in various regions may now include requirements for masks, local passes, negative coronavirus tests, and the like. Finally, the risk of contracting the virus significantly increases while traveling.
Source: travel.ru