newstodate.aero
Feb 12, 2008 (newstodate): Hopes for shorter airlanes thorugh Russian airspace are rising after January's meeting in St Petersburg between the Norwegian Avinor and its Russian counterpart.
-We were impressed by a very business-like attitude by the Russian state agency, and we seem to share a practically identical business case, says Jens Peter Duvestad, Avinor.
-It became obvious that the former Russian military dominance over use of airspace has been eased, and Russia seems to be as eager as we are to see commercial en-route traffic grow.
-Russia even advanced one specific proposal for a new airlane to reduce flying times between Europe/USA and the Far East, and I would optimistically predict that there is a real chance that at least one new airlane will be opened in 2008.
-Reducing flying times will bring immediate benefits to the airline industry and the passengers, but it will also contribute significantly to reduce the environmental impact of commercial flights, says Mr Duvestad.
Opening of the airspace over regions including Novaja Zemlja, now restricted by military operations, will facilitate shorter routes between city pairs in Euyrope, USA and Asia, and several airlines including Delta, Continental, SAS and Virgin Atlantic as well as Emirates have pressed for negotiations to bear fruit.
The new routes would increase ETOPS operations, with Longyear at Svalbard, Norway, serving as an alternative airport.
-We were impressed by a very business-like attitude by the Russian state agency, and we seem to share a practically identical business case, says Jens Peter Duvestad, Avinor.
-It became obvious that the former Russian military dominance over use of airspace has been eased, and Russia seems to be as eager as we are to see commercial en-route traffic grow.
-Russia even advanced one specific proposal for a new airlane to reduce flying times between Europe/USA and the Far East, and I would optimistically predict that there is a real chance that at least one new airlane will be opened in 2008.
-Reducing flying times will bring immediate benefits to the airline industry and the passengers, but it will also contribute significantly to reduce the environmental impact of commercial flights, says Mr Duvestad.
Opening of the airspace over regions including Novaja Zemlja, now restricted by military operations, will facilitate shorter routes between city pairs in Euyrope, USA and Asia, and several airlines including Delta, Continental, SAS and Virgin Atlantic as well as Emirates have pressed for negotiations to bear fruit.
The new routes would increase ETOPS operations, with Longyear at Svalbard, Norway, serving as an alternative airport.