IrAero (IO, Irkutsk International) has announced it will develop the southwestern Siberian city of Omsk into a focus city with effect from September 17 onwards.

Using a combination of CRJ200 and SSJ 100/95 aircraft, the Russian domestic operator will open up flights to: Moscow Domodedovo; St. Petersburg; Khabarovsk Novy; Nizhnevartovsk; and Vladivostok.

IrAero established an indirect presence in Omsk in June this year as part of a joint-venture agreement with KrasAvia (KV, Krasnoyarsk Yemelyanovo) and Groznyavia (Grozny). Under the deal, IrAero sold tickets for flights from Omsk to Moscow Domodedovo, Sochi, Anapa, and Gelendzhik with KrasAvia and Groznyavia acting as the operating carriers.