In 2026, Georgian carrier Georgian Airways suffered $8 million in losses on flights to Russia due to unscheduled airport closures, Tamaz Gaiashvili, a member of the company’s supervisory board, said in an interview with the RBC television channel.
According to him, the disruptions at Russian airports were compounded by rising fuel prices, “and alternate airports are an absolute disaster for an airline.”
Due to the operational instability, Georgian Airways reduced its flight frequency from Tbilisi to Moscow from three to two daily flights starting in September. The airline had to divert nearly every evening flight to an alternate airport, as airports were being closed during nighttime hours.
Georgian Airways explained that the losses stemmed from heavy jet fuel expenses incurred by diverting aircraft to alternate airfields, as well as additional passenger handling costs. “Furthermore, instead of the standard 2.5-hour flight time, aircraft were often forced to fly to Moscow via a detour through the Urals. The company also bore expenses for passenger compensation. Additionally, connecting flights were disrupted due to the delays.”
Gaiashvili noted that the Georgian airline incurs higher operating costs on routes to Russia than local carriers due to disparities in airport service fees and air navigation charges. In addition, according to him, insurance costs for the airline on flights to Russia increased by roughly 50%. At the same time, the carrier is striving to keep airfares affordable for passengers in order to maintain passenger traffic on the routes it serves.