RUSSIAN INDEPENDENT carrier Transaero Airlines inaugurated its service to the USA with a non-stop flight from Moscow to Los Angeles, California, on 16 June. The following day, Transaero concluded a code-sharing deal with American Airlines which also includes the Russian airline's participation in the US carrier's frequent-flyer programme.
The tie-up will begin on 1 April, 1997, with American code-sharing on Transaero's planned Moscow-Chicago service, and the Russian airline's codes appearing on several major American intra-US services from Chicago. The Los Angeles flight was operated from Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport, with a McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30. The aircraft is one of three -30s to be subleased, for five years from Fin 3 of Ireland, which leased the aircraft from American.
The Russian carrier serves ten Russian and 15 international destinations and plans to expand its US services in October with a weekly Moscow-Orlando, Florida, flight.
The Moscow-based airline began operations in November 1991 and carried 1.2 million passengers in 1995.
Source: Flight International
