OREANDA-NEWS. On 22 April 2009 was announced, that the summer schedule of flights has come into force. ROSSIYA offers passengers traditionally wide route map and new schedule. ROSSIYA's priority goals are saving carriage of passengers on the main routes, strengthening positions on the market and reaching efficiency of air route network.

The new schedule is based on the hub principle. For example, morning flights from European cities are connected with evening ones to CIS and cities of Siberia. "The advantages of a new schedule are maximization of connecting flights quantity, time minimization and therefore quality improving of transportation. Direct flights' passengers will have new, more convenient departing time" – Irina Belyushina, head of marketing and strategic planning department says.

New schedule encompasses 79 destinations in 27 countries. Regular flights will be operating to 27 European cities, 19 cities in CIS, 5 cities in Asia and 3 – in Africa.

For the purpose of schedule optimization some seasonal routes such as Athens and Venice have been suspended. The frequency of flights was decreased on some routes considering the reduction of demand while retaining "ROSSIYA" presence on those routes.

Domestic route map have not been changed and encompasses 25 cities. The aim of domestic program is satisfying citizen's demand of flights to Russian cities, especially to the Far East. The main feature in domestic routes schedule of this season is changing scheme of flights to this region with decreasing of connecting stops (Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky) and operating direct flights to some routes to the Far East (Vladivostok, Khabarovsk).

Modernization of air fleet will continue during the summer season. New aircrafts will arrive this summer, including AN-148.