Vnukovo Airlines, Russia's second-largest airline in terms of passenger numbers, has changed its general director and several of its senior management following several years of heavy losses.
The new general director is Vladimir Roubtsov. He was a senior official in the Soviet Ministry of Civil Aviation and was with Aeroflot's International Commercial Department before becoming deputy director general of Alak, Russia's first leasor. He then became director of transport at Intourist, the Russian state-owned tour operator. Roubtsav has begun reorganising schedules and routes since he was appointed, on 19 May.
Tateros Surinov, the former general director who has control of a substantial shareholding in Vnukovo, has become chairman in a non-executive role, although this is believed to be a short-term move. Vnukovo is a member company of Surinov's Russian Aviation Consortium formed to promote the Perm PS-90A-engined version of the Tupolev Tu-204.
The losses resulted from Vnukovo's efforts to increase passenger numbers by undercutting rivals.
Source: Flight International
