Moscow still weighing Hungarian-Russian airline

Moscow, May 25 (MTI) – Moscow is still considering setting up a joint Hungarian-Russian airline, but it would need to be market-based, not a subsidised carrier, Russia’s minister of trade and industry has said, according to news agency RIA Novosti’s report.

“Our colleagues are examining this question on the Hungarian governmental level. We are interested in this, I can confirm that. Our baseline is that we need to find the optimal business solution where this company is commercially viable and does not require state subsidies,” the agency quoted Denis Manturov as saying in Venice on Tuesday.

Manturov added that state subsidies “are clearly not in our interest, even though we would very much like to produce and supply our own aircraft to Eastern European markets”.

The minister mentioned that the airline could function as a joint venture of Russian aircraft manufacturer Sukhoi and a Hungarian company.

Manturov did not rule out creating a Hungarian company which could receive “advantageous financial conditions” when purchasing aircraft from Russia.

Source: http://mtva.hu/hu/hungary-matters