Grozny Avia considers three SSJ100s

By Artyom Korenyako
Grozny Avia airline (owned by the Chechen government) is considering purchasing three Sukhoi Superjet 100s. The final decision will be made before year-end, the carrier’s CCO Sergey Petrov told Russian Aviation Insider at the Wings of Russia conference, held in Mosow this week. The two-class configured aircraft are expected to be based in Grozny.
“One of the reasons for refreshing our fleet is growing competition on Grozny – Moscow line,” Petrov said. “The situation must be finally clarified before year-end. It is of principal importance for us that the leasing payments be in rubles and be fixed”.
The only carrier for the region of North Caucasus, Grozny Avia operates eight Yakovlev YaK-42s, three of which are rented. “We’ll continue operating these aircraft throughout 2016–2017, but gradually we’ll put them out of service, as we receive the new-generation Russian aircraft,” the executive said.
When Grozny Avia was the only carrier flying from Chechen capital to Moscow (Vnukovo), its load factor was around 85%. However, when Red Wings opened the same destination from Domodedovo, the load factor decreased to 70-75%, and the average fare – to RUR 4500 from RUR 7500.
“From October 25 UTair is launching the same route on a Boeing 737-500. It will take off from Vnukovo two hours before our flight. They announced the same fare on the route, but it is clearly loss-making, even if they load the aircraft by 100%,” Petrov noted.
In 2014 Grozny – Moscow route generated round 60% of the Caucasian carrier’s traffic.
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