AVIANOVA is forced to remove seats

AVIANOVA, Russia’s low-cost airline is forced to change the configuration of all its aircraft and reduce the number of seats from 180 to 159 as a result of recently modified customs regime in respect of imported aircraft.

AVIANOVA fleet currently consists of five modern Airbus A320 in a single-class layout of 180 seats; being the most effective model for the low-cost airlines Airbus A320 in this configuration is perhaps the only aircraft being subjected to 20% customs duty and 18% VAT.

During the coming weeks all AVIANOVA aircraft will be exported to maintenance facilities, during which the aircraft layout will be changed and the number of seats will be reduced.

“The unintended consequence of Russia s recent changes to the customs regime is to favor high fare, full service, carriers over low cost airlines: if you import Boeing 737s or Airbus 320s in a dual class configuration you avoid Duty and VAT - if you import as we do in a single class configuration in order to reduce costs and hence fares, you are obliged to pay a punitively high amount of Duty and VAT. This approach creates further inequality in the local air transport market and undermines the Government’s stated policy of reducing Russia’s high air fares. We hope for further changes to create a level playing field for all airlines to compete on but in the interim we have no option - sadly - but to reduce seat numbers on our aircraft if we are to remain competitive" – says Andrew Pyne, AVIANOVA CEO.