Russian airline UTAir has postponed the selection of a supplier for five 35- to 60-seat turboprops until the end of March, as competing bidders revise their offers.
The Surgut, Siberia-based carrier wants to take delivery of all five aircraft this year, to replace its Antonov An-24s. UTAir has retained undisclosed international consultants to help it review the options and make recommendations. "This tender is our first experience of working with Western suppliers, and we need assistance," says UTAir general director Andrei Martirosov. He adds that the carrier has received offers from all participants, "but some of them have recently indicated that their prices are not final...so we have decided to wait for the next drop in the prices".
Martirosov believes UTAir can operate Western aircraft at a profit, due to the current low values of used aircraft. He says, however, that prices in 2004 have already increased by 20%: "The time of cheap aircraft is coming to an end."
Source: Flight International
