Ural Airlines signed a leasing agreement regarding their use of three Airbus 320 planes during the year 2007 in an air show in France. This was done within the framework of the carrier’s air fleet renovation program.

The company’s press officer reports they have been negotiating for additional new Airbus planes; the final number of the aircrafts acquired is to be announced in the near future.

The need for more new planes emerged when Rostransnadzor (the state transport safety watchdog) and Rosaviation declared it would no longer be legal for four Russian carriers to fly to the EU beginning from June 25, 2007; four more airlines (including Ural Airlines) had some limitations on the type of aircraft they could use when flying to the EU. This means no carrier will be allowed to use TU 154 planes for Europe-bound flights beginning from June 25, 2007. Ural Airlines’ press officer says they decided to gradually do away with all of their TU 154 planes even prior to Rosaviation’s orders. The carrier has already disposed of four planes this year; the rest are to be rid of in 2007-2010. Ural Airlines is planning to use its two Airbus aircrafts to fly to Europe for the time being.