First direct Tbilisi-Moscow flight after 18 months

Today, the first direct air flight from Tbilisi to Moscow after the August 2008 conflict in South Ossetia was accomplished. The craft left the Tbilisi International Airport for Moscow at 1230 a.m. The airline - "Airzena - Georgian Airways" - received a permit from the Russian Ministry of Transports to make flights also on January 9 and 10.

"I wasn't in Moscow for a long time, and I can't believe that I'm making a direct flight there. We have many my mother's relatives in Moscow, as she's Russian. I'm happy that at least charter flights have resumed," Natalia Samadalashvili, a resident of Tbilisi, said to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

"My friends and my employees are here, and they are all happy that I can come from Tbilisi without changing flights. Perhaps, they'll also come to visit me in summer," Lasha Gogniashvili, a resident of Tbilisi, hopes.

According to the officials of the "Airzena - Georgian Airways", they look forward to a permit from the above Russian Ministry to make charter flights on January 16, 20 and 24. Tamaz Gayashvili, chairman of the board of directors of the airline, told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent about their plans to run negotiations on restart of regular flights.

: "Georgian Airways to make three direct flights to Moscow", "Georgian Airways has no permit from Rosaviation to fly to Russia", "Verkhni Lars-Kazbegi in Russian-Georgian border to resume in March 2010".