Koltsovo international airport (part of the Airports of Regions holding) has reviewed the operational results for nine months of 2020. The coronavirus pandemic entered substantial corrections to the operations of Yekaterinburg air hub, with passenger traffic shrinking on both national and international routes.
From January to September Koltsovo had provided its services to more than 2.7 million passengers, down 45.8% year-on-year. Of this amount 2.4 million travelers flew to domestic destinations. A specific feature of 2020 was adding new inland routes (Uray, Cherepovets, Volgograd) to the airport’s timetable as well as a higher number of flights to tourist-friendly and attractive destinations in Russia, such as Gorno-Altaysk and Kaliningrad.
The route Yekaterinburg – Rostov-on-Don saw a significant increase in the passenger traffic (+98% versus 9 months of 2019), the main factor being the opening since August 1 of international air travels from Platov airport. This year Urals citizens have also increased the frequency of their travels to Kaliningrad (+76%), Kazan (+67%) and Anapa (+40%). Moscow, Sochi, Saint-Petersburg, Simferopol and Anapa are in the TOP-5 most popular Russian destinations as well.
The closing of international air flights from Yekaterinburg caused a considerable slump in the passenger traffic on international routes. The dive was as deep as -81%, year-on-year, after 9 months. A moderate traffic abroad was maintained by residents of CIS states leaving Russia for their home countries. Starting on March 23 the airport has provided its services for 23,000 such flyers.