The national carrier MIAT has proposed to the Ministry for Road, Transportation, Construction and City Development that it will not use the leased Boeing 737-800 for the next 10 months. According to D.Naranpurev in the Ministry, the company reached the decision as the number of flights it runs fell 50 percent in the first quarter of the year, and the airline wants to keep to this schedule for the rest of the year. The two other planes it has, another Boeing and an Airbus, will be able to take the load. MIAT plans to reduce its international flights from the1, 200 last year to 925 in 2009.

MIAT pays CIT Aerospace Company of Great Britain about USD340,000 a month for the plane. The Ministry has informed CIT about the developments. The company has agreed on condition that MIAT pays for all maintenance and repairs for the period when the plane will not be used. This is likely to cost USD5.5 million. MIAT has suggested that CIT Aerospace takes this aircraft back and lease a new one in 2010. Negotiations are yet to be concluded.
A spokesman for MIAT, G. Tumenjargal, explained the company’s decision by saying that the number of flights all over the world will be reduced by 20-30 percent in 2009. With fewer passengers because of the financial downturn, MIAT has been forced to reduce the frequency of international flights.
Naranpurev indicated that Aero Mongolia was likely to be allowed to resume operations in April, but first it has to satisfy the authorities that it has been able to fix its safety procedures fully. He denied speculation that the airline could not resume flights earlier as the Civil Aviation Authority had no Director, saying the matter was to be dealt with by the safety department of the Authority.

 

Source: en.news.mn

Apr 2, 2009