Vnukovo, Sibaviatrans and Norilsk airlines all default (320 words)

Published: 9/4/2000

Dmitry Kalinichenko, Director of Aviazapravka-Norilsk fuel service, has warned Vnukovo Airlines (VAL), Sibaviatrans, and Norilsk airlines that failure to pay their debts to the supplier would result in their aircraft being not refuelled at Norilsk's Alykel Airport from 31st August. VAL has already had flights delayed at Norilsk in mid-August, when one of its flights was delayed for 24 hours. According to the company however, the airline did heed the warning and paid around 1m rubles of the airline's debt of 3m. Since that point the debt however, has grown to 4.6m rubles. According to Anatoly Totsky, Deputy Director of Aviazapravka, further supplies to VAL depend on its eagerness to repay the balance given an agreement to settle the outstanding debt and pay for future fuel on the day of the flight. According to reports, while the first flight of 31st August was fuelled, the second would not be unless VAL stayed with its agreement. Totsky did not exclude the possibility of resuming the action against the airline in the future, if the terms of the agreement are not met. The action against VAL comes at a time when the airline is experiencing similar problems with other airports, most notably in Novosibirsk and Domodedovo. Sibaviatrans, which owes 2.9m rubles and Norilsk Airlines with 12.7m rubles, are unlikely to see the same action as VAL according to Kalinichenko, but the VAL action should be a reminder to those defaulters. The fall in revenue and rising debt had a detrimental impact on the reserves of aviation fuel in the region. Regional carrier Krasair is also has 1m rubles of debt, but given the big transportation volumes of this airline, this amount is considered to be insignificant. The best payers according to Aviazapravka are Pulkovo, BAL, Voronezh Airlines, and Kavminvody.

Article ID: 2053