Aeroflot to sell 51% of Nordavia
Russia’s flagship airline Aeroflot will sell a 51 percent stake in its subsidiary Arkhagnelsk-based Nordavia to Norilsk Nickel Company, an Aeroflot source said on Friday.
The deal is at the final stage, with both sides having signed all the necessary documents, the source told PRIME-TASS. The only thing needed to conclude the contract is a formal approval from the board of directors.
According to the agreement Taimyr Airlines, belonging to mining giant Norilsk Nickel, would acquire a 51% stake in Nordavia, which had failed to fit in Aeroflot’s new development strategy. Aeroflot plans to set up a new airline in the Northwest Federal District.
Aeroflot gained consolidated control over all the airline shares when Aeroflot-Finance, an associated company of Aeroflot, purchased all private shares of Nordavia eralier this year.
Nordavia has a fleet of 23 aircraft including 18 Boeing 737 regional airliners. As BarentsObserver reported, Nordavia last week started direct flights between the Finnish capital Helsinki and the northern Russian towns of Murmansk and Arkhangelsk.
