Regular flights to Chisinau and Baku (340 words)

Published: 7/19/2000

On 3rd July 2000, Transaero began its code-sharing agreement with Air Moldova on the Chisinau-Moscow route, fulfilling a code-sharing agreement signed last year but only recently agreed by the respective aviation authorities. The companies have agreed to jointly operate ten regular flights a week between Moscow and Chisinau, with seven going to Vnukovo and three to Sheremetyevo. Transaero has been flying to Moldova since 1996 and Air Moldova has operated routes to Moscow route since its inception in 1992. According to a spokesman from Transaero, the benefit for the Moscow-based airline is that cooperation on the route allows a more efficient and profitable use of aircraft and services and eliminates what Transaero regards as wasteful competition. It also offers growth in each carrier's potential destinations. For example, Air Moldova can offer Transaero's passengers routes to Southern and Central Europe through the rebuilt Chisinau International Airport, completed in June 2000. The recent restructuring of the previously 100% state-owned company into a Moldavian-German limited liability company called the Compania Aeriana Moldova Ltd, a Moldovan-German enterprise 49%-owned by a venture capital fund Unistar Ventures of the German bank Dresdner, with the balance held by the state, has led to public outcry in Moldova, as it constitutes the first large restructuring of a state entity and sale of a substantial share holding to a foreign entity. For Transaero the deal marks another step on its return to the Russian and CIS market where activity had been dramatically curtailed after the financial crisis. The airline reports that it is experiencing good demand on the five routes opened this year, although they are reluctant to talk about specific volumes. One of the routes recently reopened on 16th July, is a scheduled flight between Moscow and Baku. Transaero returns to Baku having been absent for a number of years after the carrier resolved its differences with AZAL, the all-encompassing Azerbaijan air transport company, and plans to operate the route on a code sharing basis.

Article ID: 1948