Russia's Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsia) says it has suspended the Air Operators Certificate (AOC) of UTair-Express (Syktyvkar) following a request filed in April this year. The regulatory body said the certificate could remain inactive for a period of 90 days following which it will be cancelled outright.
The Vedomosti newspaper says UTair Express' fleet of fifteen ATR72-500s, used on flights between Moscow Vnukovo, Kirov, Nizhnekamsk, Tambov, and Voronezh Chertovitskoye, will be transferred to parent UTair (UT, Khanty-Mansiysk) along with crew. The fate of SSJ 100/95s destined for the carrier is currently uncertain.
Parent firm UTair Aviation Group is in the midst of a restructuring programme - Impulse - which will see the Group ground 40% of its fleet this year in a bid to cut up to RUB6.5 billion (USD111.4 million) in costs.
