Battle for the budget traveler heats up

Ayayno Hodouchi

Russia's newest, and so far only second, budget carrier, Avianova, will commence regular flights from Moscow airport Vnukovo to six cities around Russia starting August 27.

"The airline's first flights will be to Sochi on August 27, to Rostov-on-Don on August 29, to Krasnodar on August 30 and to Samara on September 1," RIA Novosti quoted Andrew Pyne, representative of the shareholders of Avianova, as saying at a press conference on Wednesday. "Within four weeks from the start of flights, we will begin flights to two more destinations, to Astrakhan and to Naberezhniye Chelny."

The carrier said that the minimum price of tickets to any of these cities will be 250 roubles, but to that figure will be added 173 rubles for airport tax at Vnukovo, at least 200 roubles for registration of luggage and for a window seat passengers will have to pay an additional 50 roubles. A seat with extra legroom will cost 500 roubles more.

"Currently, the airline fleet consists of two A-320 aircrafts, taken on lease for five years," said Pyne. "The age of these aircraft is 12 years. This is an average age for an Airbus aircraft. The two aircraft came to Russia from the American market, and were previously owned by US Airways. By the end of the year, we expect to receive two more A-320s."

Avianova's management does not conceal the fact that of the 180 seats on the A-320, only 45 seats or less will be sold at the discount price of 250 roubles; the remaining seats will be sold at the standard price of around 5,000 rubles. Tickets for 250 roubles must be booked well in advance and availability depends on how full the plane is.

The management stressed that the announced price of 250 roubles is not a marketing ploy, and that this amount will be maintained on an ongoing basis to all destinations in Russia.