Air routes in Siberia to be subsided for young, pensioners and disabled

Prime minister Dmitry Medvedev announced ten new routes will be able to use the scheme. A new element is that the low fare routes will link Siberian cities with some of Russia's most popular resorts. 

The fares will apply to men over 60, women over 55, young people, and those with disabilities. Air routes from Yakutsk, Khabarovsk, and Norilsk to Anapa, Gelendzhik, and Mineralniye Vody will come under the scheme. 

'There is demand for these routes,' said deputy premier Arksady Dvorkovich. 'Subsidies will help a large number of people undergo health-restoration procedures at our resorts'.

Other subsidised connections involve Moscow to Gorno-Altaisk (Republic of Altai) and Kyzyl (Republic of Tuva). The new rules apply to direct flights from Kyzyl to Moscow, rather than via Krasnoyarsk as in the past. 

'This is a substantial expansion of opportunity for people that live in these regions,' said deputy premier Dvorkovich as quoted by Interfax. 'This programme is in demand, all privileged categories need to be able to use it,' said Medvedev. 

In 2009 there were 19 such routes from Siberia and the Far East carrying 160,000 passengers. Last year there were 33.5 million people with subsidies reaching 3 billion roubles.