Ural Airlines will restart flights from the Russian port city of Vladivostok to Vientiane Capital in October this year, as part of its winter schedule.
The airlines will operate a weekly flight U67173 from Vladivostok starting 29 October. The plane will depart at 9:30 am and arrive in Vientiane Capital at 3:50 pm on 29 October with an estimated travel time of 6 hours and 20 minutes, according to AEROLAOS.
Subsequently, flight U6717 from Vientiane to Vladivostok will depart at 1 am on 30 October and land at 7:35 am.
Dozens of tourists from Russia were stranded in Laos after Ural Airlines abruptly canceled its scheduled flights from Vladivostok to Vientiane in February this year after starting operations in October 2022.
Direct flights from Laos to Russia were reportedly discontinued in March this year due to low demand and financial difficulties. However, this year’s winter schedule is expected to attract tourists during the peak travel season in Laos and make it easier for Lao students in Vladivostok to return home.
Before announcing the flight route, Laos and Russia discussed launching direct flights, hoping to bolster tourism between the two countries in 2022.
Recent tourism figures revealed that from January to June of 2023, a total of 23,453 Russian visitors came to Laos and this number is expected to increase with a direct flight between the two countries.
