Volga-Dnepr Group’s revenue up 54%

Volga-Dnepr Group’s revenue up 54%    Russia’s Volga-Dnepr Group, parent company of Volga-Dnepr Airlines and scheduled cargo airline AirBridge Cargo, said Wednesday that its gross revenue increased 54 percent to $486.9 million in 2005.
   Revenue from Volga-Dnepr Airlines’ Antonov AN124-100 operations improved 30 percent to $292.7 million from $225.4 million in 2004. Revenues from Volga-Dnepr’s Ilyushin IL-76 freighter business more than doubled to $58.2 million from $28.7 million. According to Volga-Dnepr, the airline controls 56 percent of the outsize and heavyweight cargo sector, up 2 percent on the year before.
   AirBridge Cargo’s revenue increased 176 percent to $119 million from $43.1 million after lifting 43,507 tons. AirBridge Cargo commenced operations in 2004 and operates three converted Boeing 747 freighter planes between Europe, China and Japan via its Russian hubs at Moscow Sheremetyevo and Krasnoyarsk airport. Three more 747Fs will be added to the airline’s fleet over the next couple of years.
   The Group’s fleet comprises 10 Antonov AN124-100 aircraft, three Ilyushin IL-76TD’s, six Yak-40’s and three converted 747 freighter planes.