Ural Airlines’ scheduling experts have already planned the medium-term timetable in a way that gives all the pilots a chance to celebrate New Year on land and at home. The carrier’s press officer says the number of flights scheduled for December 31, 2007 has been reduced by 40% (two flights bound for Moscow, a flight bound for Samara, a flight bound for Novosibirsk, and a flight bound for Surgut were cancelled). This year’s last flights are expected to arrive in their destination points no later than 10 PM (local time). For instance, a plane from Tashkent will land in Yekaterinburg at 4.45 PM, planes from Sochi and Krasnodar will land in Yekaterinburg at 9 PM and 9.40 PM, respectively. Finally, flight 267 (Moscow-Yekaterinburg) and flight 224 (Saint Petersburg-Yekaterinburg) are due to arrive at 10 PM.

In fact, this year’s last passengers will be treated to champagne and a prize-winning lottery with a bottle of Ural Airlines’ branded champagne as the prize.

The company’s ground crew and management are going to operate in a stand-by mode at New Year: the Deputy General and Commercial Directors are to keep track of the departments’ performance in turns during the winter break, which means all the flights will stick to the schedule. The carrier’s booking offices and representations are to work as usual, their press officer reports.