Aviaexpresscruise and Donetsk Airlines in collaboration

Published: 7/13/2000

Russia's fast-growing Aviaexpresscruise and Ukraine's Donetsk Airlines (official designation 'Donbass - East Ukrainian Airlines') have opened a joint scheduled passenger service between Domodedodovo of Moscow and Donetsk, which started on 7th July. This is in addition to the existing daily service between Vnukovo and Donetsk service on a Tu-154 or Yak-42. The new service will be flown twice daily on Thursday and Friday. The aircraft will be changed, according to the airlines, as traffic requires, using either an Aviaexpresscruise Tu-134 or Donetsk Airlines Yak-42. The new route will cost $170 for the round trip and by giving the passengers access to two of Moscow's airports, the airlines believe this flexibility will attract passengers. Beznikin stated that Domodedovo is convenient for the Ukrainian passengers, often oil workers, looking to fly via Moscow to the Far East. The flight also provides convenient connections with East Line services to three German cities. Aviaexpresscruise already operates regular flights from Domodedovo to Baku, Batumi, Senaki and Elista. Although in the event of Russia introducing visas for CIS countries the traffic to and from Georgia, Azerbaijan and Ukraine could drop by as much as 30-35% in the airline's view. Beznikin said that the popularity of the routes to Bulgaria, opened in the spring, has been better than expected, and ten weekly Tu-154 flights are now operating to Burgas and Varna instead of the seven Tu-134 flights originally planned. Aleksandr Beznikin, General Director of Aeroexpresscruise, said that working with the Ukrainian company will reduce airport and air traffic charges by 50-60% on the route, which they already service, due to the favourable terms given by the local authorities to Ukrainian airlines. Optimising the aircraft used by the two airlines has also allowed the carriers to reduce operating expenses. Aviaexpresscruise has five Tu-154s, three Tu-134s and six Yak-40s, the leased Tu-154 fleet having grown by two aircraft over the last few months and with the addition of another Yak-40. Dometsk has a fleet of 12 Yak-42s, eight An-24s and one Yak-40.

Article ID: 1929