RUSSIA TO BENEFIT FROM TRANS-POLAR FLIGHTS








MOSCOW, MARCH 1, 2001, /RIA-NOVOSTI CORRESPONDENT ALEXANDER IVASHCHENKO/ -- Continental Airlines of the United States is to inaugurate its regular trans-polar New York -- Hong Kong route March 1. This was disclosed to RIA-NOVOSTI here today at the Russian Transport Ministry's State Civil Aviation Service (Russian acronym, GSGA).


	According to GSGA, America's Delta airline is to perform a charter flight via yet another trans-polar route March 3. Several other US airlines have requested permission to operate shorter scheduled trans-polar services between North America and South-East Asia.


	GSGA officials also believe that Russia would obtain some rather substantial economic gains by allowing foreign airliners to fly along trans-polar routes via its air space. Air-navigation support to such trans-polar flights would provide Russia with some $100 million over the 2001-2010 period. Foreign airlines are quite interested in developing the afore-said trans-polar routes because this would make it possible to save up to three flying hours. Such routes mostly attract US airlines at this stage; however, China, Singapore, Thailand and some other countries might also become interested later on.