News (September, 2006)

From August 31 through September 17, during our Annual Fall Ticket Sale, we conducted a survey of our passengers through our offices in Moscow, Vladivostok, Khabarovsk, Novosibirsk, Irkutsk, Krasnodar, Volgograd, Kazan, Chelyabinsk and Samara. Ticket buyers who filled in a questionnaire were given the chance to enter a draw to win one of 10 vouchers for a free flight for 1 person on any S7 flight within Russia. In total, 2500 S7 Airlines passengers took part in the draw, which was made on September 21.

On September 20, a bilateral agreement on the reciprocal acceptance of travel documents (an interline agreement) between S7 Airlines and SilkAir came into effect. It is now possible to arrange air travel between any points on the flight networks of S7 Airlines and SilkAir using a single form provided by either of these airlines, which saves passengers time and money. SilkAir, a subsidiary of Singapore Airlines, is a major regional carrier in South-East Asia and operates flights between Singapore and 26 other cities in 9 countries in the region. SilkAir’s flight network includes both tourist and business routes. SilkAir has received 12 industry awards in the last 11 years for the quality of its services.

Today, 15 September 2006, is the 50th anniversary of the first flight on regular services on the first Soviet passenger jet, the Tupolev 104 (Tu-104). On this day in 1956 the new aircraft flew over Siberia, from Moscow to Irkutsk, via Omsk. This was a huge step in the development of Russian civil aviation. Air travel became almost three times faster, civil pilots learned to fly at new altitudes, and passengers enjoyed the comfort of the spacious cabins and the non-stop flights.

In spring 2006, the leasing company «UralSib» began an «air» advertising campaign entailing distribution of printed material in Business Class on S7 Airlines' aircraft, as well as an essentially new medium: posters stuck to the overhead bins in Business Class. This got «UralSib» noticed by business passengers on one of Russia's largest air carriers. The project involved the advertising agency «Art Galaxy Media».

In order to improve passenger services, S7 Airlines and Kemerovo Airport have signed a contract for joint use of SITA’s automated check-in and boarding control system, SITA Departure Control Services (SITA DCS). Passengers on S7 flights from Kemerovo will be checked in using this system. Under the terms of the contract, S7 Airlines will provide the airport with the necessary equipment, and will also train check-in desk staff. Kemerovo Airport will equip the check-in desks with communications links to ensure the SITA DCS is accurate and trouble-free. Full-scale use of the system is intended to start by the end of this year.