Andrei Martirosov, director general of UTAIR company.
Photo: Pavel Smertin
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UTAIR Flies Out to International Market
// The air company replaces Russia-made planes by foreign ones
After Aeroflot and Sibir, UTAIR was the next air company to disclose its large-scale plans for renewing its passenger planes fleet. In the coming seven years, UTAIR intends to replace over 50 airplanes made in Russia, spending at least $750 million. Air companies are forced to spend considerable funds on renewing their fleet due to the growing competition on the market of Russia’s domestic passenger flights.
UTAIR head Andrei Martirosov said Wednesday that the company will announce in August the tender for acquiring 30 new regional airplanes with capacity of 35-75 passengers and flight range up to 2,000 kilometers, which are to replace the same number of Tu-134 aircrafts. Martirosov added the company plans to spend $750 million on new planes.
In 2007-2009, UTAIR also wants to buy 15 ATR-42 Europe-made jets, to replace Yak-40 and An-24 planes it uses now. Besides, the company intends to renew the long-range fleet. In 2007-2008, it is going to lease 10 Boeing 737 jets, and to replace all its 20 Tu-154 by foreign aircrafts in the coming 5 years.
Experts believe that UTAIR fleet’s renovation is due to the growing competition. The competitors began using cost-effective foreign aircrafts even for domestic flights in Russia.
www.kommersant.com
All the Article in Russian as of Aug. 02, 2007
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