Russian transport minister: Only Aeroflot can fill gap after Transaero goes away

Only Aeroflot can close the gap in international flights after Transaero goes away, Russia’s Minister of Transport Maxim Sokolov said on Friday. "The most important now, when the license is canceled and the company [Transaero] will not make its flights, all our aviation market will be incompetitive in respect of other international airlines having everything in order and continuing to carry both their and our passengers with the same flying rates. Certainly, we need to reach parity and close the gap urgently. Certainly, only Aeroflot can do that with the fleet of wide-body aircraft flying mainly on international destinations," the minister said. Aeroflot took operational control over the distressed Transaero airline early in September. The decision on bankruptcy of the air carrier was taken by the Russian Government on October 1. Aeroflot will receive 56 international routes of Transaero as compensation of expenses for carrying Transaero passengers.