Vnukovo Airlines has aircraft impounded in Egypt for non payment of fees

Published: 5/26/1999

Egyptian authorities impounded a plane belonging to Russia's Vnukovo Airlines, in connection with ground service fees owed by the company. On May 12th 1999, Prime Tass reported that Egyptian authorities have impounded a plane belonging to Vnukovo Airlines, Russia"s second largest airline, in connection with ground service fees owed by the company. According to the report, the Ilyushin Il-86 was stopped in the Red Sea resort of Hurghada, on May 11th 1999,after authorities at the airport demanded payment for ground service provided for eight Vnukovo flights. Tass quoted Mr Alexander Klimov, Commercial Director of Vnukovo, as blaming the carrier's Egyptian management company that, he claimed, handled transactions between the airline and the airport authority. Some 350 passengers, who had travelled to Egypt on a charter tour, were left stranded when the aircraft was seized. The tour's operators have refused to cover passenger expenses resulting from the seizure of the plane.Vnukovo Airlines representatives were not available for comment. In March 1999, the UK's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) seized a Boeing 737-236,belonging to Russian carrier Transaero, also for non-payment of fees. A CAA spokesman told Reuters that the aircraft still remains impounded at Southend in south east England.

Article ID: 534