Aeroflot increased the frequency of flights from Moscow to Saratov, which lost most of its other flights with the closure of Saratov Airlines on May 30, effective May 31. Aeroflot now operates three flights a day on this route, up from the current two. The company also lowered its minimum price, reports Travel.ru's own correspondent.
The third flight will be an early morning service. Starting May 31, departures from Moscow (Sheremetyevo Airport) will be at 6:55, 9:55, and 16:55, arriving in Saratov at 9:25, 12:30, and 19:30, respectively. Return departures will be at 10:25, 13:30, and 21:15, arriving in Moscow at 11:00, 14:05, and 21:50. The Superjet 100 aircraft will be used on this route, and all flights will depart from the new Sheremetyevo-1 (B) Terminal.
Tickets for the new morning flight are currently available at 4,286 rubles. There's a significant chance this price won't last long, as the minimum prices for the other two flights have remained at their previous high levels (8,786 rubles for most summer departures, 7,686 rubles for select midweek departures).
As a reminder, following the grounding of Saratov Airlines (Saravia) flights on May 30, Saratov, a city with a population of over a million, was left with virtually no air service. Only Aeroflot flights remain on the Moscow route; most other routes have disappeared. Utair now replaces Saravia for charter flights for shift workers to Surgut.
Furthermore, Saravia, the company that still operates Saratov Airport, announced that, starting June 1, the airport will only be open from 8:00 AM to 10:00 PM (with a lunch break from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM). This could significantly hinder the establishment of new flights to the city.
Another major challenge is the current Saratov airport's unavailability to handle flights from most modern aircraft types, including the most common Boeing and Airbus models. It's possible that companies operating the Superjet 100 will soon express interest in flying to Saratov. The new Saratov airport, currently under construction outside the city and capable of handling almost all aircraft operating in Russia, will only open next year.
Source: travel.ru