Aeroflot has made a formal bid for membership of the SkyTeam Alliance. The Russian flag carrier has long indicated the AirFrance/Delta Air Lines-led alliance was its preferred choice, although it did explore the possible advantages of a tie-up with Star before going for SkyTeam.
SkyTeam has welcomed Aeroflot's bid, but stresses that it is contingent upon approval from the Russian government and the "fulfilment of quality standards required by the SkyTeam for all members".
With 108 destinations in 54 countries, the addition of Aeroflot would enhance the alliance's access to destinations in eastern Europe and beyond, says the SkyTeam Steering Committee.
Aeroflot's SkyTeam application comes on the back of growing profits and traffic. It is expecting a net profit of $113 million for last year, a rise of 13.5% over 2002. During 2003 traffic grew by 6.5% while capacity only grew by 3.2%.
Source: Airline Business
