Airzena Georgian Airways is to begin direct charter flights between Tbilisi and Moscow on August 20, the airline's spokesperson said on Thursday.

The airline received permission for flights through September 15, the spokesman said, News Georgia reported.

Airzena announced the resumption of direct charter flights between Tbilisi and Moscow in late May. Earlier, Russia allowed nine Airzena flights for religious festivities.

Russia's Federal Air Transport Agency Rosaviatsia gave the green light to Russia's S7 Airlines on Wednesday to begin regular flights between Moscow and Tbilisi. With the first flight scheduled for August 23, the airline says there has been a rush for tickets.

S7 and Airzena will carry out regular flights on an equal basis, the Russian airline said.

Direct Russian-Georgian flights were suspended in 2006 after relations between the two countries soured. Air travel was restored for a short time in 2008, but halted when the August 2008 conflict broke out between Russia and Georgia over the former Georgian republic of South Ossetia.

TBILISI, August 19 (RIA Novosti)