Baltia Air Lines (New York JFK) has applied to the US Department of Transportation (DOT) to be allocated traffic rights as per the terms of the United States' Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) with Russia.

The twenty-six year-old start-up is requesting a weekly frequency for its planned New York JFK-St. Petersburg direct service. It has already applied for slots at the New York airport 'for winter 2016 as well as for summer 2016.'

According to the ch-aviation route database, the only direct flights between the United States and Russia are routed through Moscow. The market is currently dominated by Russian carriers Aeroflot (SU, Moscow Sheremetyevo) and Transaero Airlines (Moscow Vnukovo) with Singapore Airlines (SQ, Singapore Changi) and Delta Air Lines (DL, Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson) playing a more minor role.

Baltia, which is currently on Phase 3 of its AOC certification drive with the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), plans to operate the route using a two-class 338-seater B747-200 - N706BL (msn 21705) - that is currently parked at Detroit Willow Run.