The Urals Airline Made a Decision To Keep The Rates

[IMG=21049-6888]The Urals Airlines made a decision not to increase air traffic rates owing the growth of fuel prices. At the moment the initiative refers only to flights to Hurgada (starting from September 18th) and to sharm-el-Sheikh (starting from October 15th). According to Ludmila Zhukova, Senior Manager of Ekaterinburg travel company Vista-aero, commented that given the average cost of a tour package to Egypt $600-700 $25 is not considerable money to reduce the cost by. The Urals Airlines would help more travel companies of the region by canceling the increase of air traffic cost to the UAE (the fuel fee is $130). Nevertheless, local travel companies point out that now it will be easier for them to work with clients. Alexander Chirkov, Director of Intourline, said that ‘it is always difficult to explain tourists about extra payments’. Furthermore, according to Ekaterina Kostochka, PR Specialist of the Urals Airlines, flights to Egypt is only the beginning: ‘in this season the company will launch the policy of minimizing fuel surcharge on charter routes. It is our main aim for 2007 by the end of which the fuel fee will not exceed 10 Euros per person’. Kostochka pointed out use of ‘new fuel-saving’ aircraft – A-320 – will allow the airline to materialize the plan. Meanwhile, travel market experts say that the initiative of the Airline was also provoked by the tougher competition at Koltsovo airport. Until now the Urals Airlines factually were a monopolist in the region: many airlines were interested in operating flights from Ekaterinburg but only VIM-avia could materialize its charter plans. However, starting from October one more airline will probably operate flights from the city – Aviaparade.