The Vnukovo International Airport (VKO/UUWW), one of the four main airports serving the Moscow area, awarded a special recognition to the Venezuelan state airline Conviasa.
According to the company, in a ceremony that took place on Monday, it was recognized as the international airline operating the longest regular flight to and from the Russian Federation. There are 9,613 kilometers separating Moscow from Havana, far surpassing the second place, held by China Southern Airlines with its flights between Shenzhen and Moscow/Sheremetyevo (7,109 km).
Russian airlines like Aeroflot, Nordwind, or Rossiya do come close to Conviasa with their flights to Varadero, Havana, or Porlamar. Specifically, the flight between Porlamar and Moscow-SVO operated by Nordwind once a week is the longest from and to Russia, at 9,693 kilometers.
And while the blockade against Russia by Western countries has resulted in the loss of many airlines and international routes, the flight by Conviasa between Havana and Moscow-VKO remains the longest by a foreign company. Data from February 2022 (before the invasion of Ukraine) show that the second place would be held by Singapore Airlines from Singapore, with 8,396 kilometers.
In 2023, Conviasa operated 103 flights to Moscow on its A340s, with a weekly frequency from Havana, and twice a month also including Caracas in the route.
Ramón Celestino Velásquez Araguayán, Minister of Popular Power for Transport and President of Conviasa, said that this recognition «exalts the level of professionalism, responsibility, and technical training of its pilots and crew during the year 2023».
Last year, Conviasa also operated flights to Tehran and Damascus, although both capitals are not listed in the February schedule published on the web. A few weeks ago, they also announced the launch in Algeria but there is, for the moment, no information on frequencies and fares.
The international destinations that Conviasa has been regularly operating, in addition to the Russian capital, are Cancún, Mexico City-AIFA, Managua, Havana, Manaus, Bridgetown, Kingstown, and Santa Cruz de la Sierra.
