U.S. Delta Air Lines to resume flights to Russia from May 16

The U.S. airline Delta Air Lines plan to resume flights to the Russian Federation starting from May 16 this year, the company’s local representative Leonid Tarasov told TASS Friday.

"We have flights from Sheremetyevo scheduled for May 16, and plan to launch them starting from that date," he said.

Delta plans flights from Moscow to New York from Sheremetyevo’s Terminal D.

In April 2015, the company decided to stop flying to Russia starting from December 1, 2015.

"Last winter many airlines suspended flights. We also decided to wait till spring 2016," Tarasov said. "We don’t have any particular plans regarding uplift, this depending on prices on the market. We assume the uplift will be at a good level," he added.

According to head of the Pososhok airline ticket sales agency Kirill Faminsky, the Russian aviation market has passed the peak of the crisis and Delta expects a surge in passenger numbers in summer season.

"Our February air ticket sales bring hopes that the peak of the crisis has passed or at least its end is round the corner. I assume the management of Delta Air Lines, which was one of the first to announce suspension of flights to Russia till spring, has been monitoring the situation closely and has also come to this conclusion. The company is re-entering the market amidst excessive demand (prior to summer holiday period) and is ready to enter a serious struggle for passengers with Aeroflot on transatlantic flights," he said.