Russia opens Kaliningrad to scheduled flights by Serbian carriers

Russian and Serbian aviation authorities have reached an agreement permitting selected Serbian airlines to operate scheduled flights to Kaliningrad, according to the Russian transport ministry. The deal, reported to have been concluded on 7 September, marks the first movement in years of efforts to draw international carriers back to the Russian exclave on the Baltic coast.

Before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent mutual airspace closures between Russia and Europe, Polish carrier Lot was among the last European airlines still flying regular services to Kaliningrad. International traffic at Kaliningrad-Chrabrowo airport is now sparse. Flights to Moscow and St Petersburg account for the bulk of movements, at roughly 15 daily services, while Minsk ranks first among the remaining international destinations. Seasonal links to Turkey and Sharm El-Sheikh also operate.

The Russian aviation authority Rosaviatsiya had already opened the region fully to foreign carriers for two years in October 2022, offering an unusually broad set of rights. Airlines were allowed to operate unlimited flights between their home country and Kaliningrad, and to pick up passengers there for onward carriage to a third country. Since 2023, pure routes between Kaliningrad and a third country have been permitted, with no link required to the carrier's home state.

The aim was to attract airlines from the Gulf and Asia. That has not materialised so far, and the rights package has been extended repeatedly. No start date or specific carriers have been named for the Serbian services.