Визы, РСТ, Россия, Заграница, Транспорт, Волонтерство, Туризм и закон, RTN Tech, Туристам,
Главные новости

Looks like TUI, but in fact is Kolavia

08:07, 6 апреля 2012

Tour operator TUI Russia & CIS found a way to meet their transportation needs without incurring the risks connected with their own aircraft.

 

Starting from May 1, Metrojet Airline, established on the basis of Kogalymavia, will operate under the TUI brand, states the company. The airline will provide four Airbuses A321 with 180 economy class seats each. The airplanes are to be totally re-branded, including repainting of the fuselage, new uniform for the crews, different food supply system and redesigned interior and lunch boxes. Besides that, the aircrafts’ crews will undertake advanced trainings under the guidance of coaches from the UK, provided by TUI.

 

TUI representative refused to disclose the cost of the rebranding or any other financial details of the venture, writes Vedomosti. According to Alexei Sinitsky, editor-in-chief of Air Transport Observer, a new image of each plane can cost Metrojet "several hundred thousand dollars". Aircraft will do charter flights to Turkey, Egypt, Spain and other countries. "Flights under the brand TUI will make up to 70% of the total transportation volumes of the tour operator, but the cooperation with Aeroflot and Transaero will continue", - said Natalya Novikova, the head of PR-service of TUI Russia & CIS.

 

"Our own transportation is the element which we were missing to complete the programs," - says Alex Loftus, the director of TUI Russia & CIS.

 

"TUI’s desire to become a provider of the service is clear," - says Irina Tyurina, the spokesperson of the Russian Union of Travel Industry. According to her, the fact that the planes will not belong to TUI is profitable for the tour operator: keeping a fleet of aircrafts in order is expensive and troublesome. For example, in winter 2011, when Egypt was virtually closed for the Russians, Pegas Touristik suffered losses not only because of its inability to sell the packages, but also due to the fact that the aircrafts of Nord Wind airline were standing idle.

 

Domestic tour operators have been investing in the airline industry for years now. Tez Tour has a sister airline I Fly (operates four Boeings 757 and an Airbus A330). Pegas Touristik has created Nord Wind carrier (eight Boeings 757, five Boeings 767 and two Airbuses A321). Anex Tour has chosen another way: tour operator did not create an airline, but leased several Boeing 757 aircrafts and placed them under the UTair airline flag, providing them with payload. Coral Travel did something alike in the end of 2011, when it handed over their aircrafts to Ural Airlines. “The decision of TUI to carry their passengers on their own aircrafts is correct; it connects tour operator and the carrier in one chain”, - notes the Managing Director of Starsis Group Vyacheslav Ilyushin.

 

For Kolavia cooperation with TUI is one of the few ways to survive, writes RBK daily. In the beginning of 2011 airline’s aircraft Tu-154 has burnt down at Surgut Airport, three passengers have died. Last September, after series of air accidents of domestic aviation, the carrier stopped regular flights and started selling out its equipment – two Tu-154 airliners and nine Mi-8 helicopters, the latter followed the termination of the carrier’s helicopter services in December 2011. Now there are nine aircrafts in Kolavia fleet with an average of a vehicle being ten years and some of them being leased to other airlines.

 

The total fleet of the airlines, which are a part of TUI Travel amounts to 155 aircrafts, reports Air Transport Observer. It’s fifth largest fleet of aircrafts in Europe. TUI’s own air carriers, among which are TUIfly, Jetairfly, Corsairfly and others, fly to more than 150 destinations all over the world. In Europe they serve 60 airports in nine countries.

Обсудить в telegram

вам может быть интересно