A struggle for the airplanes of bankrupted airlines has begun

After VIM-Avia leaving market, tour operators began actively looking for an opportunity to restore the loss of the company's aircraft by which they formed charter programs. So, at least, already two airlines, affiliated with providers of travel services, are considering the opportunity to purchase the airplanes of the problem carrier. One of them is iFly, which plans to replenish its fleet with three or four Airbus-319 aircraft with a capacity of about 150 passengers, including, possibly, those airplanes which were belong to VIM-Avia. The Commercial Director of TEZ Tour, co-owner of iFly, Alexander Burtin said about it on Friday, October 27. However, he stressed that this is not a settled issue. "Everything will depend on an agreement with the leasing providers. They may not give the permission for the Russian market. Those tour operators who maximally used VIM-Avia boards are naturally most interested in their further exploitation", - he stressed. It is about NTK Intourist and TUI Russia - a significant part of their flight programs were based on the flights of the airline that stopped operating. Both tour operators announced their intentions to use own transportation from the next year. So, theoretically, they can also consider the possibility of using VIM-Avia liners. Azur Air (tour operator ANEX Tour) was already among the possible candidates for airplanes. The carrier made an application for Boeing-777, previously used by VIM-Avia. Presumably, the answer will be received in early November. Also Royal Flight (tour operator Coral Travel) may be interested in the park of the problem airline, which, according to experts, now has a very limited number of long-range aircraft - only three ones. As observers say, according to estimates, the carriers, performing charter flights, may be interested in about 13 wide-bodied jets of VIM-Avia. This deficit, they say, will face the market next summer, especially if Egypt opens. To date, judging by the rescue plan of VIM-Avia, it has nine aircraft of its air fleet: three Boeing 757-200 (owned), three long range Boeing 777-200, one Boeing 767-300 and two Airbus A319- 112. The remaining 20, according to unofficial information, returned to four leasing providers and may appear on the market. According to Alexander Burtin, airlines are looking for an opportunity to replenish their fleet. "And it does not matter whose board it will be: VIM-Avia, Air Berlin or Monarh Airlines. This is an incorporated market", - he added.