Thai Airways weighs resuming direct flights to Russia by 2027

Thai Airways is considering resuming direct flights to Russian cities, although any restart of services is likely to depend on aircraft availability and could take place no earlier than 2027, a senior tourism official said.

Sulatda Saruttilavan, Executive Director for Europe at the Tourism Authority of Thailand, said she had discussed the issue with representatives of the national carrier.

“I discussed this issue with representatives of Thai Airways. They said they are considering resuming direct flights to Russian cities; however, the airline is experiencing a shortage of aircraft and is still awaiting the delivery of new planes,” she told TASS.

Thai Airways suspended direct services to Russia in March 2020 following the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic and the subsequent closure of international borders.

The potential resumption of flights comes amid strong demand from Russian travellers. According to Thailand’s Ministry of Tourism, approximately 1.9 million Russian tourists visited the country in 2025, a record high that placed them fourth among all nationalities by number of arrivals. Russia remains Thailand’s largest source market in Europe.

More than 950,000 Russian tourists have already visited Thailand since the beginning of this year, underscoring sustained travel demand despite the absence of direct flights.

By Tamilla Hasanova