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Regional airline plans direct flights to Pole of Cold in Yakutia

Commercial flights to the Pole of Cold, which is very popular among Russian and foreign tourists, may begin in March

YAKUTSK, February 4. /TASS/. Polar Airlines may begin serving flights to the Tomtor settlement in Yakutia’s Oymyakon Region. Commercial flights to the Pole of Cold, which is very popular among Russian and foreign tourists, may begin in March, the company’s press service said on Monday.

In the northern hemisphere, the pole of cold is believed to be located in Tomtor in Yakutia’s Oymyakon. In February 1933, temperatures were documented at minus 67.7 degrees Celsius. Temperatures there average around minus 61 degrees in January. The settlement is some 1,000km from Yakutsk, the driving time is about 16 hours including rest stops.

"We know about the high interest from tourists and the local authorities, and thus we can begin commercial flights on L-410 to Tomtor in March already," the press service quoted the company’s Director General Semen Vinokurov as saying. "We still need to go into certain details and to set reasonable fares."

If the demand is high enough, the company could serve two flights a week, the press service added. The region’s Head Mikhail Zakharov hopes more tourists would come to the region if they can take direct flights. "Many have to refuse [from tours] because there isn’t a flight there," he said.

Polar Airlines, the company said, serves about 40% of regional routes. Every year, it transports more than 120,000 passengers and more than 2,000 tonnes of cargoes and mail; it assists medical aviation in rescuing more than 2,000 people.