The fight against prices. Will Aeroflot be able to create a low -cost airline

The creation of a airline, whose business model is built on saving on costs (in the English-language interpretation-Lawkoster), has become a national scale. Even President Vladimir Putin supported her. However, the two previous attempts (“Aviation” and “Sky Express”) were not very successful, and mainly for economic reasons.

The number three attempts decided to make Aeroflot. The mighty torso of the largest Russian air carrier, always ready to stretch out a hand of helping his low -budget brainchild, is a reliable guarantee of success. Moreover, the state is ready to do this even earlier than the maternal company. If the two previous attempts were realized rather contrary to logic and legislation, now support from the state is practically guaranteed.

By the time of the alleged launch (March 2014), almost all legislative and regulatory prerequisites will be created for the successful implementation of the project. And it is on them that Aeroflot is counting on. The abolition of the responsibilities for the free carriage of baggage and the power of passengers, which for some reason is called “Refusal of premium services”, will be supplemented by the assumption of foreign pilots to the Russian sky, and also “Aeroflot” counts on the abolition of importers on aircraft with a capacity of more than 180 seats. If you recall the experience of the Avianovs, then for some time she had to shoot part of the seats to get into the preferential category of aircraft.

The introduction of an inconsistent ticket remains unconvided, without which the activity of a low -budget airline is, in principle, it is impossible. But this measure, I am sure, will be allowed in our country in the near future. Moreover, the need for such changes was the main argument of the head of Aeroflot Vitaly Savelyev at the discussion at the highest, presidential level. You can be glad for our largest carrier and future passengers of his “daughter”, if not for one “but”. These benefits will receive all airlines. That is, for the savings that 2-3 million passengers can receive (surprisingly, the present number is not given in the presentation), everyone else will pay.

Airlines are not altruists and should not be such. If it will be able to take additional luggage and meals, then this will be done. And the fact that the number of passengers transported by the Aeroflot is not given, excess confirmation that this figure does not care much about the company. Much more significant benefits for the classical business of the group.

Another moment is alarming. The project consultant announced the board of directors of Aeroflot Fantastic profit figures. Already in the second year of work, it will amount to $ 26 million, and this despite the fact that a new company starts with a minimum acceptable number of aircraft in our country - from eight. The company Ryanair, which the creators of the domestic low -budget carrier are considered an analogue, can only envy such a result. The Irish carrier operating in the market for more than a quarter of a century, with its super -digit brand, rolling up to automatism technologies, 70 million passengers, three hundred aircraft, bases throughout Europe, earns about $ 10 from a passenger over a year. And here is the same, and almost immediately, without a long rolling of business! I would venture to assume that this figure is not worried about Aeroflot, because even the loss from the activity of the low -budget “daughter” with more than compensated by additional income of the high -budget part of the group. A consolidated reporting will hide any loss.

Maybe these millions of dollars are a common economic effect for the Aeroflot group as a whole? But then another logical question arises: is the creation of a low -a -thought -out “cover operation” for completely other purposes? The answers to these questions can be obtained after several years of the low -budget carrier. Moreover, it is very important not to forget to compare the initial parameters with the result and remember that this decision was made by the board of directors of the company with dominant state participation.

I really want all the plans of the creators of the low -budget Aeroflot to come true and we are pleased for their perspicacity and strategic foresight. But one circumstance confuses. For the successful work of such a company, not only normative and economic, but also social prerequisites are necessary. Thanks to the long -term and hard work of Ryanair, Easyjet and their more “small” colleagues in Europe, a fundamentally new class of passengers was formed. These are mobile people, flying at short distances, without luggage, accustomed to iron discipline (you can’t be late for landing, a package from Duty Free - paid hand luggage), ready to endure certain inconvenience for the sake of a low price and pay extra for minimal comfort.

And the development of real low -cost airlines gave a second life to a large number of small provincial airports and former military bases (both NATO and the Warsaw Treaty) throughout Europe. And now we compare this with the route network proposed in Russia. The basic airport is clearly overloaded Domodedovo, from where you can fly to St. Petersburg, Samara, Yekaterinburg, Makhachkala, Krasnodar, Ufa, Kaliningrad and New Urengoy. The classic low -budget company is clearly not visible, but the opportunity to dump in these directions, more than paying for losses in another place, is very likely.