Russia starts first Moscow-Pyongyang passenger flights in decades
Russia will launch direct passenger flights from Moscow to North Korea’s capital Pyongyang on Sunday, Russian authorities said.
According to Russian aviation blogs, the start of regular flights between the capitals for the first time since the mid-1990s follows the resumption of Moscow-Pyongyang passenger rail service, a 10-day journey, in June.
The first flight will leave Sheremetyevo airport at 7 p.m. (1600 GMT), according to the airport’s timetable.
The eight-hour flight will be operated by a Boeing 777-200ER with a capacity of 440 passengers, Russia’s RIA state news agency said on Sunday. It added that tickets started at 44,700 roubles ($563), and the first flight quickly sold out.
Russia’s civil aviation authority Rosaviatsia has granted Nordwind Airlines permission to operate flights between Moscow and Pyongyang twice a week. The transport ministry said in a statement that for now flights would operate once a month, “to help build stable demand”.
The only direct air route between Russia and North Korea has been flights by North Korean carrier Air Koryo to Vladivostok in Russia’s Far East three times a week.
