Alexander Velovich and Paul Duffy/MOSCOW
Aeroflot Russian International Airlines has launched a new corporate strategy with the introduction of its summer timetable. It incorporates the results of a 600-page report produced after a four-month study by US analysts McKinsey.
The Russian carrier's new timetable features 450 scheduled weekly flights to 124 destinations (23 in Russia) in 70 countries, 50 fewer than in 1998. Although this means fewer available seat kilometres, Aeroflot says revenues will rise as flights are concentrated on more profitable destinations.
Aeroflot general director Valery Okulov says the need for a new strategy became obvious after a failed bid for "growth through extending operations on the unstable domestic market". The airline believes it can boost annual revenues by $120-130 million in two or three years through optimisation of its route network alone.
Aeroflot plans to employ 68 aircraft of 11 types in the coming peak season. Ten Boeing 737s will serve European destinations in the morning, before flying eastwards from Moscow in the evening.
Boeing 777 services to Bangkok and Delhi may originate in London, to attract transit traffic, while Ilyushin Il-96 flights to Shanghai will be launched. Services to Jakarta and Miami have been dropped, with Boeing 767s working most transatlantic routes.
• Russian outsize-cargo specialist Volga-Dnepr Airlines and UK partner Heavylift Cargo Airlines are looking at ways of deepening their alliance, including a possible share exchange. Heavylift began talks by seeking a shareholding in Volga-Dnepr, which responded by asking to buy a stake in Heavylift.
General director Alexei Isaikin says there several ways in which the pair might work more closely. Volga-Dnepr had sales of $104 million last year, up 25%, with undisclosed profits increasing by 10%, the best result in its history.
Source: Flight International
