State-owned budget airline flydubai will increase capacity to Russia by up to 50 percent from September partly in response to a new visa system for Russian citizens travelling to the United Arab Emirates.

flydubai had carved out a niche connecting Dubai to destinations in Russia and former Soviet states that previously had limited or no direct air links with the city state.

But flydubai and other airlines cut flights to Russia in the past few years as the country’s economy was hit by low oil prices and the impact of Ukraine sanctions.

“We’re trying to get back the same volume we used to be before,” flydubai chief executive Ghaith al-Ghaith told Reuters in an interview in Dubai on Monday.

Flydubai currently operates 29 weekly flights to seven Russian destinations, an airline spokeswoman later said. The increase will be compared to 2016, the spokeswoman said without providing further details.

Al-Ghaith said demand on Russian routes was increasing following recent visa changes by the United Arab Emirates for Russian citizens.

SOURCE REUTERS, Read more..