UPDATE: Official: Investors may acquire VIM-Avia with debts

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MOSCOW/GORKI, Moscow Region, Oct 2 (PRIME) -- The future of VIM-Avia will be clear in the next few days, as there may be investors ready to acquire the troubled air carrier with debts, Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich said at a governmental meeting on Monday.

“It is not obvious whether VIM-Avia will exist. There are investors who are considering buying the company and its debts, but they will make their mind in the next few days after analysis,” he said.

He also said that there are no problems with arrests or delays of VIM-Avia planes in airports following negotiations with lease providers. The government is working on settlement of arrears to employees and is in talks with its creditors on a debt repayment delay.

VIM-Avia has delayed a large number of flights since mid-summer to September 25, when it admitted to having no money to continue operations and the need to stop charter flights. The government and Aeroflot issued statements pledging financial support to VIM-Avia.

Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has ordered to accelerate preparation of a draft law introducing stricter airline operation rules.

“All works must be finished, naturally, so that no problems remain in terms of passenger transportation. As for preparation of the normative ruling, you need to work as fast as you can as well. Tell me personally as soon as the draft is ready,” Medvedev told the government.

Dvorkovich said that the new draft will include stricter control over airlines by setting financial stability targets and passenger insurance against airline insolvency. He said that the draft will be ready in a week.

The official said 1,000 tourists stranded in Turkey with expired VIM-Avia tickets will be brought home on Monday or Tuesday, while the other 10,000 passengers will come back on dates indicated in their tickets until Saturday.

“More than 20,000 tourists were brought back by Monday morning. The flights will continue today. There are less than 1,000 passengers with expired tickers there… I think we will manage to finish the program (to return the passengers) today.”

He also said that there are enough planes for the program.

“There are enough aircraft to complete the mission. We plan that all the passengers will return home until October 7. Moreover, we will do our best to finish the mission by October 5,” he said.

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