OREANDA-NEWS. On 30 June 2017, new flights to Iranian cities started from Pulkovo St. Petersburg Airport. Mahan Air is now offering weekly charter service from St. Petersburg to Mashhad through 8 September 2017, and Zagros Airlines is operating fortnightly charter flights to Isfahan through 22 September.

Mashhad and Isfahan are Iran’s second- and third-most-populous cities, respectively. Both represent new destinations for the Pulkovo route network, and Zagros Airlines — a new carrier for the St. Petersburg airport.

Previously, the city had only had a direct flight connection with the Iranian capital — Tehran. This summer season, Pulkovo is expecting a significant increase in passenger traffic between Russia’s Northern Capital and different destination points of this important Middle Eastern country. In 2017, the number of airlines operating charter programs from Pulkovo to Iran has grown to seven: with Mahan Airlines, Meraj Air, Qeshm Air, Taban Air and Nordwind having been joined by Iran Aseman Airlines and Zagros Airlines as of June.

During the IATA Summer 2016 season, a total of 88 flights were performed from St. Petersburg to Tehran. In 2017, the number of departures is expected to surpass the 150 mark.

Over the first six months of 2017, Pulkovo Airport handled 7.1 mln people representing a 25.4% increase over the figure for the same period in 2016. Passenger traffic on domestic airlines grew by 21.2% to 4.6 mln people, on international airlines — by 34% to 2.5 mln people.