UTair of Russia adds Minsk in Belarus to growing Moscow Vnukovo network

• UTair, the expanding Russian airline analysed last week, added another country market to its network on 1 September when the airline launched a daily service from its Moscow Vnukovo (VKO) hub to Minsk-1 (MHP), the city airport serving the capital of Belarus. The 650-kilometre service is operated with 70-seat ATR72 aircraft. Notably, this is the only scheduled commercial service between any Moscow airport and Minsk 1, although UTair faces indirect competition at Minsk International. Belavia flies three times daily to Moscow Domodedovo, twice-daily to Moscow Sheremetyevo and daily to Moscow Vnukovo, while Aeroflot operates 13 times weekly from Moscow Sheremetyevo.