MOSCOW, June 20 (Itar-Tass) — Airbus, Europe’s leading aircraft builder, and Russia’s second biggest air carrier Transaero will sign a fixed price contract for delivery of four Airbus A380 super jets at the international St. Petersburg Economic Forum, a source close to the aviation industry told Itar-Tass on Wednesday.
A memo of understanding for the purchase of these planes by Transaero was signed in October 2011.
According to Itar-Tass, the deal’s catalogue price is 1.5 billion dollars. Transaero’s A380 planes will have a three-class configuration of the passenger cabin with 700 seats.
Aircraft deliveries will start in the 4th quarter of 2015.
Transaero made its first flight on November 5, 1991. At present, Transaero’s fleet has over 80 aircraft, including 19 Boeing -747, 12 Boeing-767, 28 Boeing-737 and three Tu-214 planes. Transaero flies to 160 directions in Russia, Europe, Asia, America and Africa.
Civil aviation began operation of A380 planes in 2007. The aircraft’s standard configuration makes it possible to carry 525 passengers at a distance of 15,300 kilometers.
Transaero is the first Russian air company that has decided to operate A380 planes.
In the meantime, the U.S. Boeing aircraft Building Corporation and Sberbank, one of the biggest Russian banks, are planning to sign an agreement to expand cooperation in aircraft leasing at the international St. Petersburg Economic Forum.
In May 2011, Sberbank and Boeing signed an agreement to develop mutually beneficial aviation financing and leasing possibilities in Russian and CIS markets. Under that agreement, the sides are supposed to join efforts in searching for and implementing new projects of financing the acquisition and leasing of Boeing’s products and services to existing and potential customers.
The new agreement is supposed to promote the companies’ cooperation in this direction.