Deputy Head of Rosaviatsia, Alexey Buevich, has met with representatives of Turkish carrier Corendon Airlines to discuss expanding cooperation, including the possibility of adding new routes and increasing the number of flights between Russia and Turkey, according to Rosaviatsia’s press service.

During the meeting, officials also evaluated the prospects of flights to Gorno-Altaysk Airport, which has been open to international traffic since July this year.

Corendon Airlines, a Turkish low-cost carrier specializing in tourist travel, currently operates seven scheduled routes from Antalya to Moscow, St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Kazan, Nizhnekamsk, Samara and Ufa. Since August 12, the airline has also been running charter flights from Antalya to Orenburg, Nizhny Novgorod and Chelyabinsk.

“Given the large number of flights, we suggested that the carrier consider opening an accredited office in Russia to improve efficiency and service quality. Turkey remains the most in-demand destination for Russian travelers, with more than 1,000 flights operated between our countries every week. We are interested in further developing cooperation and are ready to discuss new formats of partnership in detail with foreign airlines,” said Alexey Buevich.

The meeting also addressed the need for faster coordination and streamlined operations, especially in cases where temporary airspace restrictions are in place.

Air travel between Russia and Turkey is governed by a bilateral agreement signed on May 12, 2010, along with subsequent aviation authority arrangements. At present, 11 Russian airlines serve 47 routes to Turkey, while five Turkish carriers operate 28 routes. From January to June this year, more than 2.4 million passengers flew with Russian airlines on Turkey-bound flights.