Reality falling short of expectations following DAL's withdrawal, but Krasair insists that "alliance is working" (263 words)

Published: 11/2/2001

Despite the recent news from Domodedovo Airlines that it had withdrawn from the Russian airline alliance led by Krasnoyarsk Airlines (KrasAir), Svetlana Volodina of Krasair says that the alliance that initially included Domodedovo Airlines (DAL), KrasAir, Chelyabinsk Airlines Holding and Aviaexpresscruise in December 2000 is working. This seems to contradict recent statements by the General Director of DAL, Alexander Akimov, that his airline had removed itself from the alliance in response to Krasair gaining licences on routes it currently services. According to Volodino, the airlines in the alliance continue to be financially independent and there is no talk of merger. Volodino says the airlines plan to cooperate on modernisation unify tariffs, jointly operating aircraft and a unified timetable accompanied by single ticketing. She adds: “We want the passenger flying, say KrasAir and then Aviaexpresscruise to feel he or she changed airline”. Volodina says that the alliance had started working already but so far the benefits were not very evident, with some route coordination, but failure to coordinate others, reflecting, says Volodina, the airline's differing approaches. On 26th October 2001 some of the companies involved signed an agreement joining the Open Sky Alliance that will co-ordinate the alliance. Two new airlines, Kogalymavia and Sibaviatrans, have also signed up, joining the founding members KrasAir, Aviaexpresscruise and Encor (part of Chelyabinsk Airlines Holding) along with East Line Handling. Volodina says that East Line Handling, that provides services at Domodedovo Airport, had joined them because all airlines involved in the alliance operate from Domodedovo Airport. Volodina claims that she expects additional airlines to join the alliance.

Article ID: 2878