Russia, Luxembourg agree on launching passenger airline service

Aviation authorities of Russia and Luxembourg have agreed on launching passenger flights between the two countries, Russian Deputy Transport Minister Alexander Yurchik told reporters on Thursday.

"We held intense talks with Luxembourg, and the country’s ambassador to Russia took part. We worked very fruitfully and made a decision on a mutual possibility to fly from the capital - from Moscow to Luxembourg - and from there to us," Yurchik said.

Direct flights from Russia’s second-largest city of St. Petersburg to Luxembourg will be also launched "as a good will gesture," he added.

The two countries agreed to perform up to seven flights per week. The flights will be carried out by one operator from each side. Air freight services will be operated by Luxembourgish airline CargoLux and Russian airline Volga Dnepr.

The airlines willing to perform passenger flights should be ready by this spring since "this is a very complicated and long process of exchanging the notes and everything is done through diplomatic channels," he noted.