VIM-avia sells aircraft

The charter carrier decided to unify its fleet

VIM-Avia, Russia's largest charter carrier, has decided to refuse to lease three of its 16 Boeing 757 aircraft. The company also removed two Yak-42s from its fleet. The company's management explains this by the desire to unify its aircraft fleet.

Until recently, the basis of the VIM-Avia fleet was 16 Boeing-757-200, purchased in 2004-2006 in two batches on different financial terms. The first batch of 12 aircraft was purchased in 2004 from the German airline Condor using a loan provided by a group of Russian banks. Subsequently, VIM-avia was able to refinance this transaction with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development on more favorable terms. Four more aircraft of the same type were taken out on financial lease for seven years the following year through one of the subsidiaries of the American leasing company Gecas. Previously, these machines were operated by American Trans Air.

Just a year after the start of the leasing agreement, the American brokerage company Bristol Associates, Inc. published an announcement that two aircraft from this latest batch were again put up for sale. Boris Rybak, director of the Infomost PR agency servicing VIM-Avia, told Vremya Novostey yesterday that last month the same broker found a new owner for another Boeing-757 from the same batch - it was purchased by a cargo carrier. airline DHL.

According to Mr. Rybak, the configuration of the four aircraft from the latest batch is somewhat different from the bulk of the Boeing 757-200 owned by VIM-Avia (in particular, they have different engines). Therefore, VIM-avia decided to abandon their operation, and in return purchase other Boeing-757-200, identical to the aircraft from the first batch. Unification of the fleet should help reduce operating costs, says Mr. Rybak. True, with a temporary reduction in the fleet, it will become more difficult to fulfill obligations to customers and adhere to schedules. VIM-Avia has already experienced many-hour delays on charter flights, even with a full fleet, bringing with it inevitable conflicts with passengers and attracting unwanted attention from government regulators. Mr. Rybak noted that VIM-Avia intends to compensate for the temporary shortage of Boeings with Russian equipment. According to him, for this purpose the company recently acquired two Tu-154M.

Previously, VIM-avia announced its intention to replace all its Boeing 757s with Boeing 737-900 by 2013. Mr. Rybak explained to Vremya Novostei that the return of part of the Boeing 757 to the lessor is not yet the beginning of the implementation of this plan. In the near future, VIM-avia will operate on 757 aircraft.

Mikhail KUKUSHKIN