Airline expects continuing passenger growth (390 words)

Published: 7/14/2000

On 11th July 2000, Vladivostok Air (Vladivostok-Avia) opened a new regular international route from Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk to Harbin in China via Vladivostok using a Yak-40, with a round trip cost of $280. Vyacheslav Radyuk, head of commercial department of Vladivostok Air, said that the route was started due to demand from their customers in Sakhalin for flights to China and Harbin in particular. The stop in Vladivostok according to the airline, was necessary to increase the load factor on the aircraft. The Harbin flight will be joined by a flight planned by the airline from Vladivostok to Osaka in Japan using a Tu-154, with a round trip cost of $490, although the airline will provide significant discounts for certain groups such as sailors in transit on the route. Other Japanese destinations include Toyama and Niigata. The Far Eastern airline also provides services to Seoul and Pusan in South Korea. In May a new route was opened to Krasnodar via Tomsk and from Vladivostok to Domodedovo in Moscow via Abakan. Vladivostok is expecting to see an increase in passengers during 2000, but this will largely driven by the opening of new routes inside and out of Russia accompanied by an improved service offering and what the airline describes as a 'sensible tariff' policy. The airline however experienced a 40% growth in passenger numbers over 1998 carrying more than 200,000 passengers. Despite this traffic increase, the company has suffered unspecified losses for 1999 and the first quarter of 2000. In April, the airline introduced business class on its flights from Vladivostok to Moscow in response to the strong competition that the airline is experiencing form Domodedovo and from Aeroflot's fast growing domestic operations. Passengers delayed by the weather or aircraft delays are also now provided with food and accommodation, a substantial service improvement in a region where substantial delays are commonplace. Vladivostok Air, which also controls Vladivostok Airport, is reported to be operating a fleet of three Il-76Ts, six Tu-154s, eight Yak-40s, 14 Ka-32, four Mi-8s, one Mi-2 and two An-2s, the number in flyable condition is however, not reported. The company is 51% owned by the state (State Property Management Committee). The General Director of Vladivostok Air is Vladimir Saibel who has occupied this position since 1994.

Article ID: 1943