The governments of the Republic of Moldova and Iceland are set to sign an agreement that will soon allow direct flights from Chișinău to Iceland. The Moldovan government is expected to approve the signing of the aviation services agreement on Tuesday, March 12. According to the document, the expansion of air traffic between the two countries could lead to the creation of new jobs, enhanced passenger services, more affordable fares, reduced travel time, and a boost in bilateral tourism.
Direct Flights to Iceland Could Create New Jobs
Negotiations for direct flights between Chișinău and Iceland began in 2023. The agreement addresses various aspects, such as flight certification, security measures, and related tariffs and fees. The primary objective is to strengthen the commercial, economic, and diplomatic relations between Moldova and Iceland. The initiative for this agreement was proposed by Iceland and communicated through diplomatic notes exchanged between the two governments.
About Chișinău Airport
According to data analysis from the Romanian aviation portal boardingpass.ro, the passenger traffic at Chișinău Airport in 2024 reached 4,142,418 passengers, representing a 31.5% increase compared to 2023. In 2023, 19 airlines operated scheduled flights to over 40 destinations, with new carriers such as Air Montenegro, AZAL, Israir Airlines, El Al Airlines, Arkia, and Aegean Airlines entering the market.
In 2024, several new airlines also began operating at Chișinău Airport. Georgian Wings launched flights between Chișinău and Tbilisi, Georgia in February 2024. Lufthansa resumed its flights between Chișinău and Frankfurt in 2024. In May 2024, Lufthansa’s subsidiary Eurowings began operating flights to Cologne and Stuttgart. The same month, airBaltic also launched flights between Chișinău and Riga. Bees Airlines started several flights from the Moldovan capital, but these routes were soon discontinued. At the end of 2024, Wizz Air resumed operations from Chișinău, with flights to various destinations from its base at the airport.
SkyUp Airlines will open an operational base at the airport in the summer season of 2025 and will launch eight regular routes from Chișinău. Additionally, Transavia will inaugurate a route between Paris-Orly and Chișinău on July 7, 2025.
What are the chances of there being a direct flight?
Although there is an agreement between the two countries to establish direct flights, the chances of direct flights between Moldova and Iceland are still quite low. The main reason for this is the low market demand. Very few Eastern European countries have direct flights to Iceland, which supports this. No airline operates regular flights from neighboring Romania to Iceland, so passengers are forced to make a connection somewhere.
