Four Russian airlines serve nine cities in Russia and bring tourists on direct flights to Dominican beach destinations. One recent flight even set a global first. The Nordwind Airlines flight N4-1541 flew 14 hours and 40 minutes direct from Krasnoyarsk International Airport in northern Siberia to Punta Cana International Airport (PUJ). Ambassador Hans Dannenberg Castellanos explains that it was the first time that Russian authorities authorized direct flights on the North Pole route from Siberia to the Americas. The Krasnoyarsk flight set a record for the longest direct flight into any airport in the Dominican Republic with passengers. Krasnoyarsk is the second-largest city in Siberia.
On the same day that the Nordwind Airlines record flight was set, another direct flight by Azur Air landed in La Romana International Airport (LRM) also direct from Siberia in Russia but this time from Novosibirsk, capital of Siberia.
While a new record was set for the 14:40 hour flight from Krasnoyarsk, what is most extraordinary is the outcome of the marketing efforts of the Ministry of Tourism, its tourism promotion office in Moscow and the team at the Dominican Embassy in Moscow, Russia. There is now an unprecedented boom in demand by Russian tourists for Dominican vacations, surpassing even pre-pandemic Russian travel numbers.
Nordwind Airlines Flight N4-1541 was the charter with 440 Russian passengers headed to Punta Cana beach resorts that landed after the 14:40 hour flight time from Krasnoyarsk International Airport in Siberia. The plane traveled a distance of 11,550 kilometers by the shorter North Pole route, setting a new record on 11 October 2021. Most of the passengers that came with the record-setting flight from Krasnoyarsk Airport to Punta Cana were from Siberia.
Ambassador Dannenberg Castellanos explains that the intention originally was to book the flight from the Novosibirsk, the capital of Siberia. But he said the people demanded another flight and that is how the Krasnoyarsk flight came to be. Krasnoyarsk is the second-largest city in Siberia. Tourists arriving on the flight booked air and hotel stays with Pegas Touristik tour operator.
On the same day, 11 October 2021, Azur Air landed in La Romana International Airport with the second plane full of sun-seeking Russian tourists from Novosibirsk, capital of Siberia. This plane landed to bring sun-seeking tourists to Bayahibe, La Romana and Dominicus beach hotels. These passengers traveled a shorter distance because Novosibirsk is located in southern Siberia.
Those who traveled from Novosibirsk came by way of the traditional Moscow route that is slightly more to the south of Siberia, about an hour and a half less.
Dannenberg Castellanos said he personally met in Novosibirsk with tour operators and produce buyers to sell Dominican tourism and export products. He explains that now there is an agreement with cargo to export Dominican products reaching the Asian part of Russia and Central Asia. “These flights open not only the market of Russia but also that of Central Asia,” stressed the ambassador.
As mentioned above, it is the first time there are direct flights from Siberia to the Americas. The first flight was that of Krasnoyarsk to Punta Cana. The second flight was Novosibirsk to La Romana. Novosibirsk is the capital of Siberia.
Dannenberg Castellanos stresses the opportunities for Dominican produce exports to reach markets in Central Asia and the Asian part of Russia. “There had never been a direct connection,” said Dannenberg Castellanos. He stresses the importance of opening trade with Russia. He says the direct flights open doors to export to Singapore, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Thailand for Dominican produce. Dannenberg is very knowledgeable of Asian matters. He was previously Dominican ambassador in India, dean of ambassadors and concurrent to several other countries.
Ambassador Dannenberg Castellanos says that fresh produce area already arriving, including avocados and pineapples. This week, the Royal Flight from Moscow to Punta Cana returned to Russia loaded with pineapples, mangos, and avocados from the Dominican Republic. The ambassador explains that the country’s recent participation in the Moscow World Food Produce Market resulted in negotiating attractive air cargo deals for the local exporters to use the cargo space on the direct flights that bring tourists from Russia.
The Krasnoyarsk flight was a complete surprise,” said Dannenberg Castellanos. He said it happened when permission to fly via the North Pole was authorized. “It is the first time there is a flight to the Americas from either of these two points. There has never been a flight, even from New York,” he explains.
Aeroflot has also begun flights from Russia to the Dominican Republic. Aeroflot is flying direct flights from Moscow to Punta Cana since 1 October 2021. The importance of the Aeroflot scheduled flights is that they also offer connections with SkyTeam’s Aerolineas Argentinas, Delta and Aeromexico for people to connect in Punta Cana to Asian cities in China, Hong Kong, South Korea, Israel and Turkey, among others.
Since Russian travel to the Dominican Republic was resumed in August 2021, the number of passengers has been climbing. In August, 6,818 Russians came, in September 22,243. The number of arrivals in September 2021 compares to 17,295, the peak number of arrivals in pre-pandemic September 2017.
The forecast is for Russian arrivals to surpass in October, November and December 2021 the peak arrival totals set in December 2016 of 25,534.
The demand for Dominican vacations in Russia is extraordinary. Several airlines are involved – Azur Air, Nordwind, RoyalFlight, and Aeroflot.
Azur Air: seven flights from Moscow to LRM per week; two flights every 10 to 12 days from St. Petersburg to LRM; 1 flight every 10 days from Novosibirsk to LRM; 2 flights every 10 days Yekaterinburg to LRM, 1 flight every 10 days from Kazan to LRM; 1 flight every 10 days from Kazan to LRM, 1 flight every 10 days from Rostov on Don to LRM; 1 flight every 10 days from Ufa to LRM.
Nordwind Airlines: 6 flights per week from Moscow to PUJ, Samana (AZS), and Puerto Plata (POP)—two each. 1 flight every 12 days from St. Petersburg to PUJ. 1 flight every 12 days from Novosibirsk to PUJ. 1 flight every 12 days from Yekaterinburg to PUJ. 1 flight every 12 days from Kazan to PUJ. 1 flight every 12 days from Ufa to PUJ.
RoyalFlight Airlines: 2 flights from Moscow to PUJ per week; 1 flight per week from St. Petersburg to PUJ. 1 flight per week from Yekaterinburg to PUJ. 1 flight per week from Kazan to PUJ. 1 flight per week from Samara to PUJ. 1 flight per week from Ufa to PUJ.
Aeroflot. Three scheduled flights per week from Moscow to PUJ.
19 October 2021