KrasAir or Krasnoyarsk Airlines () was a Russian airline with its head office on the grounds of Krasnoyarsk Yemelyanovo Airport in Krasnoyarsk."Авиалинии." KrasAir. 5 September 2002. Retrieved on 28 February 2010. "Красноярск, 663020, Аэропорт "Красноярск"." It operated scheduled regional and international passenger services, freight transport, cargo handling and charter services from the main base is Krasnoyarsk Yemelyanovo Airport, as part of AiRUnion alliance. In 2008 Krasair suffered a liquidity crisis, and after a string of operational shutdowns, administrative and strikes, the company ceased operations in October 2008.
History
Privatization The company traces its roots to the Krasnoyarsk-based Yenisey air wing, established by the Chief Directorate of the Northern Sea Route in May, 1934. The air wing eventually differentiated into traditional airline operations, and was as Krasnoyarsk Civil Aviation Directorate (1946–1982) and Krasnoyarsk Aviation Enterprize (1982–1993). In 1993 it was privatized with the state retaining 51% controlling share. Krasair. Quarterly report, Q2 2008
AiRUnion KrasAir was managed by Boris Abramovich (CEO, no relation to Roman Abramovich) and his brother Alexander Abramovich (deputy CEO). The Abramovich brothers' aggressive expansion campaign led to the creation of AiRUnion alliance in 2005, the first airline alliance in Russia. It includes KrasAir, Domodedovo Airlines, Samara Airlines, Omskavia and Sibaviatrans and was the third largest domestic carrier in Russia. All of the member airlines were controlled by Krasair management.
In 2005 KrasAir attempted to expand internationally, placing a winning bid in Hungary's national carrier Malév privatisation tender. The tender results were initially annulled by Hungarian authoritiesBudapest Times before finally being sold in February 2007. During 2006 1,118,543 passengers were transported by KrasAirKrasAir press release and AiRUnion transported 3,342,815 passengers KrasAir press release
KrasAir managers were part of a venture together with the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development to create a new low-cost airline called Sky Express. This airline was to be based at Vnukovo Airport and fly initially to domestic routes, using as many as 44 Boeing 737-300/500s. The airline's airfares were to be 30-40% cheaper than other carriers.Kommersant
2008 crisis In June and August 2008 Krasair and AiRUnion fleets were grounded as the fuel suppliers denied further credit fuel to debt-ridden airlines. In June, Krasair and its principal supplier, Krasnoyarsk-based Sibir Avia Service, reached an agreement to resume fuel supply on condition that Krasair debt did not exceed 100 million roubles.KrasAir to Have Fuel at Double Price, Kommersant, June 20, 2008 By the middle of August the debt rose to 223 million roubles, and on August 19 Sibir Avia stopped refuelling, leaving thousands of passengers stranded in airports. Krasair blamed the crisis on rising oil prices. In first six months of 2008, fuel accounted for 54% of Krasair costs. Flights were also grounded in Moscow and Omsk airports.Most AiRUnion flights still delayed in Moscow. Prime-TASS, August 23, 2008
Analysts predicted that the fuel crisis would be resolved through intervention of Rostechhologii, a newly formed state conglomerate that controls substantial shares of AiRUnion companies, including Krasair;Krasair may face fuel shortage, FINAM, August 12, 2008 alternatively, the state may prefer to complete formal bankruptcy process and restructure AiRUnion assets under a new management. On August 24, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin specifically addressed the problem of the grounded airline, authorizing Sergey Ivanov to issue state funds and enable further operations. AiRUnion won't get far, gazeta.ru, August 25, 2008
On August 26, media reports appeared to indicate that bankruptcy was inevitable. Russian Technologies, the principal shareholder, refused to pay AiRUnion's bills and its fleet remained grounded. The same day, the Russian Ministry of Transportation negotiated with Aeroflot, Transaero, S7 Airlines and Rossiya about taking over the routes previously operated by Krasair. Competition declare AiRUnion dead. Kommersant, August 26, 2008
On October 27, Krasair was unable to fly most of their aircraft due to a pilots' strike as a refusal by refuelling companies to extend credit to the airline. It was announced that Krasair would cease to exist on November 1, 2008.
Destinations +Destinations as of August 2008CountryCityAirportNotes Russia RussiaBarnaulBarnaul AirportBlagoveshchenskIgnatyevo AirportChitaKadala AirportIgarkaIgarka AirportIrkutskIrkutsk AirportKemerovoKemerovo International AirportKhabarovskKhabarovsk Novy AirportKhatangaKhatanga AirportKomsomolsk-on-AmurKomsomolsk-on-Amur AirportKrasnodarKrasnodar International AirportKrasnoyarskYemelyanovo AirportHubKyzylKyzyl AirportMineralnye VodyMineralnye Vody AirportMoscowDomodedovo International AirportHubNorilskAlykel AirportNovosibirskTolmachevo AirportOmskTsentralny AirportPetropavlovsk-KamchatskyPetropavlovsk-Kamchatsky AirportRostov-on-DonRostov-on-Don AirportSaint PetersburgPulkovo AirportSamaraKurumoch International AirportSochiSochi International AirportTomskBogashevo AirportTuraTura AirportUlan-UdeUlan-Ude AirportVladivostokVladivostok International AirportYakutskYakutsk AirportYekaterinburgKoltsovo International AirportYeniseyskYeniseysk AirportYuzhno-SakhalinskYuzhno-Sakhalinsk Airport Asia ArmeniaYerevanZvartnots International Airport AzerbaijanBakuHeydar Aliyev International Airport ChinaBeijingBeijing Capital International Airport KazakhstanAlmatyAlmaty International AirportBaikonurBaikonur Krayniy Airport KyrgyzstanBishkekManas International Airport TajikistanDushanbeDushanbe AirportKhujandKhudzhand Airport ThailandBangkokSuvarnabhumi AirportPattayaU-Tapao International Airport United Arab EmiratesDubaiDubai International Airport UzbekistanTashkentTashkent International Airport Europe AustriaSalzburgSalzburg Airport GermanyFrankfurtFrankfurt AirportHannoverHanover/Langenhagen International Airport GreeceAthensEleftherios Venizelos International AirportHeraklionHeraklion International Airport, "Nikos Kazantzakis" SeasonalThessalonikiThessaloniki International Airport MontenegroTivatTivat Airport PortugalLisbonPortela Airport
Fleet Throughout their history, KrasAir operated the following types of aircraft:
+ KrasAir fleetAircraftPhotoTotalAntonov An-220Antonov An-243Antonov An-268Boeing 737-3006Boeing 757-2004Boeing 767-200ER5Evektor EV-55 Outback29 ordersIlyushin Il-6222Ilyushin Il-7616Ilyushin Il-8610Ilyushin Il-96-3005McDonnell Douglas DC-10-302Tupolev Tu-13411Tupolev Tu-15442Tupolev Tu-2046Tupolev Tu-2141Yakovlev Yak-4013Yakovlev Yak-425
References
External links
KrasAir (Archive) KrasAir Fleet