Ryanair to Georgia after Russia bans flights; confronts Wizz Air

Ryanair will add Georgia as the 39th country in its network, with three route launches this winter and a fourth next summer. This followed intensive negotiations with the Georgian government, keen to cultivate new routes to EU destinations after Russia imposed a ban on direct flights between Russia and Georgia on 8-Jul-2019.

Before the ban Russia-Georgia routes were operated by Georgian Airlines and a number of Russian operators: Ural Airlines, Pobeda, S7, Aeroflot, Nordavia and Red Wings.

Russia imposed the ban in response to anti-Russia protests in the Georgian capital Tbilisi, but cited concerns over safety and air navigation services debts in connection with Georgian Airways and the much smaller Georgian operator MyWay Airlines. In late Sep-2019, Russia's foreign minister expressed hopes of a resumption of services, but did not give a time frame.

Ryanair's entry makes Georgia another battleground between Central Europe's biggest ultra LCC, Wizz Air, and Europe's biggest ultra LCC, Ryanair. After entering in 2012, Wizz Air is now the leading airline in Georgia, operating 27 routes (week of 9-Sep-2019, including one for Wizz Air UK), versus 17 for Georgian Airways.

Georgia's aviation market has enjoyed strong growth in recent years but the Russian flight ban is interrupting this trend. Ryanair's entry comes at a politically opportune time for the Georgian government.