Regional Airlines Change Aircraft

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   Russian regional airline companies announced their intention to renew their summer aircraft parks in 2006. Thus, S7 Airlines will lease ten А-319, previously exploited by American Northwest Airlines.
    The Commersant reported that according to the Airline Company, this type of aircraft is more attractive for S7 than Boeings 737-500 due to higher passenger capacity – 124-129 seats. ‘The contract has been signed by the executive directors of the company. At the moment it is being approved by the Board of Directors’. The Airline will start exploiting A-319 starting from July.
    Unlike S7, KD-avia banked on Boeing-737-300 being the largest exploiter of this type of aircraft in Russia. At the beginning of April KD-avia received the fifth Boeing. The aircraft was manufactured in 1989 and has 148 seats. As soon as all customs procedures are completed the aircraft will operate both charter and scheduled flights. In 2006 KD-avia will supply its airpark with 11 Boeings more. Furthermore, Orenburg Airlines also plan to lease Boeings-747.
   According to The Urals Airlines rebranding plan, the airline company will lease three A-320 in 2006.
    Meanwhile, old Russian passenger aircraft – mainly TU-type and IL-type aircraft – are going off-air stage. Thus, a Representative of AirUnion, Olga Bikova, said to a BANKO correspondent, that old aircraft from this aviation alliance (IL-62) will be used as a reserved aircraft for summer period, while the rest will be leased out to the third countries, for example, Iran.