Flight programs to Greece for Russian tourists

Profi.Travel learned about new programs planned for 2025 for Russian flights to Greece from competent experts.

Next season the airline Jazeera Airways will expand the geography of flights from Moscow to Europe with a connection in Kuwait, it plans add flights to Crete and Corfu. And the company Aegean Airlines expands programs from Istanbulwhere Russians travel on Turkish Airlines flights. Olga Flyagina, sales manager at Jazeera Airways, said:

“We are now working with tour operators on a summer flight program to Crete and Corfu. There also remain Cyprus and Montenegro, which have successfully flown for the second season.”

Anna Filatovskaya, Director of Public Relations tour operator “Russian Express”who had blocks of places in Larnaca, says:

“The increase in Cyprus was more than 30%, the total number of tourists by the end of the year will be more than 5,000. True, about 50% of them bought tours without air travel. We are also considering a flight program to the Greek islands. If there is an interesting schedule and reasonable cost, it will be possible to organize tours. Greece is a favorite destination for Russians.”

However there are doubts about the implementation of plans for Greece on the marketincluding after the cancellation of Jazeera Airways programs to Sri Lanka last season, says the CEO Pantheon company Anatoly Garkushin:

“They will only fly if one of the operators takes the blocks. Otherwise the programs will not take place. Let’s see if any industry participants are interested in blocks in Corfu or Crete.”

According to him, flights through Kuwait were of interest to tourists because of the reasonable cost, good schedule and comfortable short connections. Dimitris Charitidis, manager TEZ TOUR Greecein turn notes:

“There have been discussions about programs from Kuwait to Greece for several years now. But I have a few questions. I'm not sure how practical it is to take blocks of seats. This is the first point. Secondly, visas are issued quite successfully, but they are still not issued as quickly as we would like. Therefore, you need to book your seats much in advance.”

Alternatively, he talked about an interesting offer from Aegean Airlines. They announced that in 2025 they will launch flights from Istanbul to Heraklion, Rhodes, Mykonos and Santorini. There will be flights to Heraklion four times a week, to Rhodes, Mykonos and Santorini – twice a week. The expert explains:

“Since Aegean Airlines is a member of the Star Alliance, like Turkish Airlines, they stated that luggage can be checked in in Moscow to its final destination. Thus, a flight from Moscow or other regions of Russia to Istanbul on Turkish Airlines, and then on Aegean to Heraklion, Rhodes, Mykonos or Santorini will take place without the need to collect luggage in Istanbul. In my opinion, this proposal is even more interesting.”

According to tour operators, Demand for Greece is growing. Depending on the destination, tourists travel on Turkish Airlines flights via Istanbul, on Air Serbia via Belgrade, on Egiptair via Cairo, on various airlines via Yerevan with further flight on Aegean Airlines, on Gulf Air via Bahrain, on Emirates or flyDubai flights via Dubai. There are flight options via Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Doha (Qatar). In addition, you can get to Rhodes via Dalaman by taking a ferry.

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