Komiavia serving the Komi Republic in Northern Russia avoids closure

Published: 5/19/1999

According to Russian press reports,the closure of the bankrupt airline, Komiavia, has been delayed until January 1st 2000. The decision to delay closure was made by the arbitration court of the Republic of Komi, so avoiding the statutary requirement, under the bankruptcy law, that an enterprise, once bankrupt, cannot operate for more than one year. Komiavia was declared bankrupt on March 25th 1998. Based at Syktivkar in the Komi Region, this former Aeroflot division operates a mixed fleet of 87 aircraft including An-24, An-26, An-28, Yak-40 and Tu-134s. No data is available on what proportion of the fleet is currently airworthy. In this vast oil bearing region in Northern Russia, air is frequently the only means of keeping both the economy and the population going. This may well have prompted the Komi government"s intervention. Such a vital interest has often meant, however, that local and regional governments have been unable, or unwilling, to operate the airlines on a viable basis, so leading to the perilous condition of many of these airlines operating at Russia"s periphery.

Article ID: 522