OREANDA-NEWS. Northern Capital Gateway, the operator of St. Petersburg Pulkovo Airport, has announced best airlines of 2015. The winners in 11 nominations were revealed at the annual LED Together ceremony held on January 29, 2016. The airlines awarded at LED Together showed best results at Pulkovo airport throughout the past year.

Full list of prizewinners for 2015

Nomination

Airline

Description

Fastest Growing Carrier 300 000+ pax

S7 Airlines

(Russia)

In 2015, the airline’s traffic at Pulkovo increased by 127 thnd pax. The number of take-offs/landings grew by 630 operations. From year to year S7 Airlines increases its presence in St. Petersburg market.

Fastest Growing Carrier 50 000-300 000 pax

Belavia

(Belarus)

Belavia’s traffic at Pulkovo grew by 54 thnd pax in 2015. The number of take-offs/landings increased by 900 operations.

Fastest Growing Carrier 10 000 ?50 000 pax

Pskovavia

(Russia)

Pskovavia is constantly expanding its route list from Pulkovo. In 2015, the number of passengers serviced by the airline at LED showed an increase of 12 thnd pax. The number of take-offs/landings increased by 200 operations. Pskovavia’s network from St. Petersburg includes 7 cities in Russia.

Best Punctuality

Rossiya Airlines

(Russia)

Rossiya Airlines, Pulkovo’s home base carrier, for the second year a row continues to show best punctuality of flights in Russia. In 2015, the airline was noted by FlightStats as one of the most punctual carriers in the world.

Best Developing International Carrier

Vueling Airlines

(Spain)

In 2015, Vueling’s traffic at LED grew by 12 thnd pax. The airline performs flights to 3 destinations from St. Petersburg, including those to Malaga launched in May of 2015.

Best Developing Regional Carrier

RusLine

(Russia)

In 2015, RusLine was the largest regional airline at Pulkovo airport. The carrier’s route network from LED includes 14 destinations in Russia. Additionally, in May of 2015, the airline launched its first international flights from St. Petersburg to Vilnius. RusLine’s traffic at Pulkovo increased by 40 thnd pax, number of take-offs/landings grew by 1.2 thnd operations, in 2015.

Best Developing Newcomer

China Southern Airlines

(China)

In July of 2015, Asia’s largest airline China Southern Airlines launched regular flights from Urumqi to St. Petersburg with 4 frequencies a week. In 2015, the airline provided services to a total of 20 thnd pax and performed over 150 take-off/landings at Pukovo.

Best Developing New Destination

Brussels, Brussels Airlines (Belgium)

On March 30, 2015, Brussels Airlines launched regular flights from Brussels to St. Petersburg with 3 weekly frequencies. The new route allowed travelers from St. Petersburg to continue their journey further to Europe, Africa, or North America via convenient connections at Brussels. In 2015, Brussels Airlines serviced 20 thnd pax and performed 180 take-off/landing operations at Pulkovo.

Best Contribution to Tourism Development

Azur Air

(Russia)

With its extensive charter flight program from St. Petersburg, Azur Air serviced 180 thnd pax and performed 800 take-offs/landings at Pulkovo in 2015. Azur Air operates flights from St. Petersburg to 8 destinations, including long-haul flights to international resorts.

Best in Marketing Development

Emirates

(UEA)

Emirates’ successful marketing strategy has played a significant role in inciting the passenger’s demand for the airline’s flights connecting St. Petersburg via Dubai to points in Middle East, Asia, Arica, Australia and Oceania. In 2015, Emirates provided services to over 120 thnd pax at Pulkovo. In the fall of 2015, the airline fully switched to Boeing 777 on St. Petersburg — Dubai route, offering passenger even more comfort on board.

Best Route Network Developing Carrier

Ural Airlines

(Russia)

Ural Airlines continuously expands its presence in St. Petersburg. In 2015, the airline’s traffic at Pulkovo grew by 63 thnd pax, number of take-offs/ladings increased by 1 thnd operations year-on-year. Ural Airlines added 10 new destinations to its route network from St. Petersburg making it a total of 19 points in Russia and CIS, in 2015.

All winners received awards from Pulkovo airport and gifts from the partners of the event. The partners of the ceremony of 2015 were: one of most respectable hotels in the city ‘Corinthia Hotel St. Petersburg’; one of the biggest flight search engines in Russia ‘Aviasales’, an online social network for tourists and travelers ‘TourOut’; online entertainment guide to St. Petersburg ‘Peterburg2.ru’; online newspaper NEVA.TODAY; federal online film portal ‘Kinoafisha.info’; a leading Russian importer of premium-class wines — ‘Simple’ wine trading company; the first movie theater in St. Petersburg with a century-long history ‘Avrora’; a chain of Caucasian cuisine restaurants of Ginza Project Holding ‘Mamalyga’; WAGNER group of car dealerships of Volkswagen, SKODA, and Audi in St. Petersburg.

The annual LED Together ceremony traditionally brings together professionals from the aviation, travel, tourism industries of St. Petersburg and North-Western Russia. The 5th anniversary LED Together ceremony hosted over 100 guests.