Published: 7/24/1998

East Line group, with an annual turnover of Rbs9bn in 1998 prices, has made a claim that its own airline, East Line Aviation, has surpassed all other CIS carriers in terms of cargo traffic. With a fleet of 52 aircraft, East Line Aviation transported 125,400 tonnes of cargo in 1997, in comparison with 99,400 tonnes in the previous year. According to the company, its two nearest competitors, Aeroflot-Russian International Airlines and Volga-Dnepr, carried 92,200 tonnes and 40,000 tonnes, respectively in 1997. The figures for 1996 had been 89,500 tonnes and 43,000 tonnes, respectively. Due to the rapid growth of East Line, its main airport, Domodedovo, registered an increase in overall cargo traffic. In 1997, the airport was responsible for 54.5% of all cargo traffic handled inthe Moscow area. It processed 157,400 tonnes of various cargoes, which is 58.9% higher than in 1996. Passenger traffic via Domodedovo seems to have stabilised. In 1997, all airlines flying to the airport carried a total of 4,501,956 passengers, compared with 4,426,072 in 1996.(AL798.3) (VK)  

Article ID: 216