Russian airlines have transported over 1 million more passengers than planned, despite the closure of 11 airports in Russia's central and southern regions. The total passenger count for the year's first half was 47.5 million, almost 18% higher than last year's. The state program for aviation industry development outlines a target of 101.2 million passengers to be transported by airlines by 2023, as Saveliev, according to Russian authorities.
Russia is expected to transport over 100 million passengers this year despite the closure of 11 airports. If these airports were open, it's estimated that around 120 million passengers could have been transported, which is similar to the numbers from 2019 when there were no travel restrictions. It's important to note that in 2019, the total number of passengers transported was 128 million for comparison purposes.
According to Alexander Neradko, the head of Rosaviatsia, Russian airlines may see a return to pre-sanction levels of passenger traffic by 2023. In 2021, 111 million air travelers traveled, but this number dropped to 95.2 million in 2022 due to anti-Russian sanctions that affected the aviation industry.