Alternative Ski Resorts For Season 2006-2007

[IMG=20964-6795]In the coming season air traffic volume to the Austrian Innsbruck is planned to be doubled. The increase will refer to both scheduled and charter flights. Instead of the charter program consolidated by Ascent Travel in co-operation with VIM-avia, two airlines will operate scheduled flights to the destination. From December 30th to April 1st S7 Airlines will operate flights by A-319 on Sundays and from December 23rd to March 24th flights to the destination will be operated by Austrian Airlines Boeing – 737 via Vienna. Austrian Airlines flights are planned to be operated on Saturdays. Elena Makagonova, Press Secretary of the Moscow Office of Austrian Airlines, said that other details are to be known at the end of September. Jet Travel flights will be a competition for the mentioned flights – the tour operators intend to consolidate a charter by Boeing – 737 in co-operation with S7 Airlines. Meanwhile, such tour operators as UTE Megapolus Group and Ascent Avia already plan to buy blocks of seats on scheduled flights to Innsbruck. General Director of Ascent Avia, Boris Bogdanov, doubts the necessity of an additional charter: ‘ticket prices for scheduled and charter flights are equal, while a number of seats on scheduled flights is 300’. However, Maxim Pristavko, Commercial Director of Jet Travel, explained the decision to launch a charter to Innsbruck: ‘Before local hotels did not accommodate tourists on Sundays and Innsbruck Airport did not accept flights on Saturdays. But these problems have been resolved’. Lilia Gorbunova, Head of the Austrian Department of UTE Megapolus Group, feel optimistic towards the perspectives of the additional charter program: ‘considering competitive prices and a continuous flight the charter have all chances to be in demand in the Russian market’. According to Gorbunova, a tourist flow to the Austrian destination will increase – bookings started a month earlier than a year ago. Besides, at the moment tours a booked for January. Furthermore, the success of the charter to Innsbruck will depend on Austrian Airlines. Alexander Shirokov, Head of the Charter Department of Erzog, stated: ‘it is not the first time the airline announces its intention to operate scheduled flights in high season’. ‘The announced rates are comparable to charters. Given the bookings for the whole Western Tirol being made for Saturdays, the scheduled flight by Austrian Airlines promises to became an alternative to Friedrichshafen’, emphasized Boris Bogdanov.