Ural Airlines has recently acquired its fourth Airbus 320.

‘The three aircraft we’ve leased have already proved to be very comfortable and reliable. These airplanes have the best airfield performance in their price segment, which means Ural Airlines can now enter many more airports. This also means that every new Airbus signals the introduction of new tourist destinations, including those in Europe, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East,’ the airline’s press officer reports.

‘We needed a plane that could be used for the maximum number of flights without requiring enormous maintenance expenses, therefore we chose Airbus, since its characteristics allow for extensive use, expansion of travel routes, and greater frequency of flights. A 320 only has to be serviced every thirty-six hours, which is longer than even Airbus’s nearest rival, Boeing 737-400, needs. This is very important: the more often a plane has to be serviced, the fewer flights it can operate,’ says Ural Airlines’ CFO Kirill Skuratov.

The fourth Airbus 320 is going to start operating scheduled flights (both international and domestic ones) in a few days’ time. The fifth aircraft is due to arrive at the beginning of June 2008.

Ural Airlines is planning to gradually replace most of its aircraft completely. According to the carrier’s strategic development plant, by 2011 they will have disposed of all their TU 154 B planes, replacing them with Airbus 320 ones.