This is an update. Air Vladivostok is still planning to restart this dormant route in June, 2008. The US Department of Transportation has approved it but that does not mean it is going to fly. Supposedly they will fly twice a week from Petropavlodsk-Kamchatsky to Seattle/Tacoma via Anchorage. I highly doubty the DOT will allow fifth freedom rights to pick up and drop off passengers in Anchorage. But the plan is one day a week the flight will stop in Kamchatka on the way to and from Anchorage and one day a week it will stop in Sakhalin.
Dalavia Airlines in Khabarovsk also says they are going to fly to Anchorage via Kamchatka in 2008. But they sold tickets on this route this year only to cancel the service.
I called Dutch Harrbor. This is the last boom town in the US and they even have a Visitor's and Convention Bureau in addition to the lovely little Russian Church of the Holy Ascension. Dutch Harbor is only 1800 km from Petropavlodsk-Kamchatsky, within air taxi range. Atka, even farther west and connected to the US air network under the orphan airport program, must also have bush pilots. But I was told no bush pilot does this route. It is after all an historically sensiitive border, where the KAL 007 flight was supposedly shot down in 1983.
This could be a great route. The Alaska State Ferry has doubled the Tustumena service from Homer to Dutch Harbor to twice a month and there is talk of increasing it furter. This shuld be one of the world's great budget adventures as the 84 hour journey stops in really our of the way Aleut village. We took the Tustumena for a 49 hour trip to Kodiak Island in 1994 and it was a hoot. We slept on the couches and drank beer too.
If I could just break on through to the other side many delights await me. I could hail a minivan and head up to Komsomolsk-na-Amure. Hop on the BAM, Sam!
Thanks for the update, Chicago. Do you know why Alaska quit flying to Khabarovsk? You're right. It is one hell of a trip into the Russian Far East. Like a trip back in time, too.
There were a number of routes from Alaska to Russia back in the 90s. All were stopped because they were not financially viable, ie not enough travelers to warrant the flights.
If flights are resumed I suspect that it will be because of the oil and gas folks in Kamchatka. I can't think that there is anyone else in large enough numbers to warrant maintaining service in this region.
Ruth
Thank you, Ruth. I should have figured it was so simple as a lack of passengers. Too bad. Alaska Airlines knew its business. Knowing that Russians are avid pin collectors, Alaska gave out bags of pins for its passengers to trade.
Ruth is correct. The information I have gleaned from internet searches is that the booming oil business may provide anough traffic for this route. Red Star Travel in Seattle told me that when Dalavia canceled the flight for June of this year passengers were rerouted through Seoul and Vladivostok. There is no air service between Dutch Harbor and Japan. I also believe that the ferry between Korsakov, Sakhalin and Wakkanai, Japan is no longer operating. Cook's does not show it but Higashi Nihon's webpage still shows it. An email to the contact came back undellivered. There is still a 2006 schedule online.
http://www.sakhalin-fantastic.ru/eng/?pg=1<BR><BR>There are a few cruise ships which link up Dutch Harbor and Kamchatka. I believe it is Cruise West. A big operator, I think it was Holland, also did this route once a year as they moved ships from one part of the world to another. But we are tied to a school schedule with 2 little kids. On top of that I hate cruises and these were really expensive.
OP - I would NOT hold my breath for these flights. There have been rumblings off and on for several years but flights never seem to get off the ground. If it happens it will be the oil and gas people who make it happen and the flights won't be cheap as their companies will pay whatever to save the time.
Ruth
I called Bering Air in Nome. They have charters on a Piper Navajo to Provideniya. $3100 to and from 80 minutes each way. $8000 on a King Beechcraft to Anadyr. You land in the Chukotia Autonomous Okrug, where Roman Abramovich is the governor and Chukchis are seen. But it is very difficult to move westward to Magadan, Yakutsk and the BAM.
Air Vladivostok is now saying they will do FOUR weekly flights between Vladivostok and Seattle, two stopping in Kamchatka and the other two in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. Starts in April, 2008! They are saying they will fly twice as many flights. I think they are going for it.
Mavrair (Air Magadan) few Magadan- Petrazavodsk-Kamchatsky-Anchorage for years until they stopped service in 2006. They may fly again.
Dalavia allegedly failed to get permission to take over the failed Air Magadan route because the US would not certify Dalavia for safety reasons, or at least that is the rumor. Dalavia says they wil do ths route in 2008 but only their banker knows for sure....
A flight between Seattle and Vladivostok can make money on the freight. Passenger service is gravy.
See you on the BAM! (or at least I hope so!).
The charters have been in operation for years but travel is restricted to local region.
I would be pleased to hear that transpacific flights were available but even Aeroflot decided it was better to go Seattle NYC Moscow than Seattle Kamchatka Vlad Moscow.
Ruth
It is either wishful thinking or false optimism but I think these flights are going to go
1. Since about 1997, the only year there was no Kamchatka-Alaska service was this year. Magadan Air ceased operations and Dalavia jumped in but could not get the safety approval from the U.S. A month later Air Vladivostok files for permission and gets it. Now they are planning twice the weekly flights.
2. Sakhalin is booming. Domestic air traffic doubled in the past 2 years and international traffic grew 7 per cent in the last year.
3. Kamchatka is opening up as a tourist destination. I called Zephram Expeditions about an ad in the ITN. They have a Kamchatka-Alaska cruise next summer. They were rude on the phone when I asked about segments but they did tell me it is already close to being sold out.
4. Seattle makes more sense as a final destination than Anchorage.
5. Vladivostok is booming as a transport hub.
6. Trans-Pacific sea and air traffic has increased dramatically in recent years and that will probably continue.
But Everbrite is right about the cost. Dalavia was quoting $1560 round trip from Khabarovsk to Anchorage plus taxes. Not exactly a budget experience.
trusted partner
