25 Jan 2018 14:35

UTair boosts passenger traffic 9.6% to 7.3 mln in 2017

KHANTY-MANSIYSK. Jan 25 (Interfax) - UTair increased passenger traffic 9.6% year-on-year to 7.3 million passengers in 2017, the airline said in a statement.

"UTair exceeded its business plan in 2017, flying 7.3 million passengers, up 9.6% on 2016. The airline flew 6.1 million passengers on domestic routes, up 9.6% and 1.2 million on international routes, up 10%," the statement said.

The average passenger seat occupancy rate was up 4 percentage points to 76%. UTair launched 42 new routes over the year in the Urals, Volga and Siberian regions and new international routes to Berlin, Vienna, Munich, Milan and Heraklion.

UTair is one of Russia's biggest airlines. The Surgutneftegas non-governmental pension fund owns a 50.112% stake via LLC AK Invest, the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous District owns 38.83% and Tyumen region owns 8.44%. Its main hubs include Moscow's Vnukovo International Airport, Tyumen's Roshino airport, and airports in Surgut and Khanty-Mansiysk.