According to Yulia Fedorova, Koltsovo airport spokesperson, two Moscow carriers applied for regular flights between Moscow and Yekaterinburg in the end of 2005. ‘However, the decision on whether to give them any slots hasn’t been arrived at yet. Such flights are currently performed by three airlines, and two more carriers mean the arrival of fierce competition, especially given that large airlines can afford lower-than-the-market prices.’

Ms Fedotova notes that there have also been applications from some foreign carriers, an Austrian airline (scheduled to start operating in April 2006), a Turkish carrier and a Czech airline among them. What’s more, Siberia Airline offered to arrange Moscow-Yekaterinburg flights as well.