Kras Air has concluded deals to acquire two Boeing 767s and two TupolevTu-334s, and has secured funding for two Tupolev Tu-204s. The airline signed the agreements at last week's SAKS 2002 air show in Krasnoyarsk, Siberia.
The airline has a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Boeing to lease two secondhand 767-200ERs from Boeing Capital for delivery next March on five-year leases. The deal, which replaces an earlier plan to take 767s from Ansett Worldwide, comes as part of Kras Air's plan to acquire "several" Boeing MD-83s for which Boeing will undertake Russian certification. Kras Air general-director Boris Abramovich says this is planned for April, enabling the airline to start scheduled operations with the type next year.
It has also signed an MoU with RSK MiG for the delivery of two ZMKB Progress D-436T1-powered Tupolev Tu-334-100s in 2004, but a leasing company is being sought to complete the deal.
Meanwhile, Ilyushin-Finance and Vneshtorgbank have agreed to support the airline's acquisition of two additional Tu-204-100s from Aviastar in Ulyanovsk. These are due in late 2003 and early 2004, expanding its fleet to four. An earlier plan to take up to 10 Tu-214s from KAPO in Kazan has been dropped because the airline has decided to source from one plant.
Source: Flight International
