ST. PETERSBURG, June 22 (RIA Novosti) - Aeroflot [RTS: AFLT] said it would expand its air fleet significantly in the next few years, the head of Russia's national air carrier said Thursday.
The company currently has a fleet of 88 aircraft, but Valery Okulov said major changes were in store as part of Aeroflot's declared ambition to increase its market share from 30% to 50%.
"We now need 30-50 planes," he said, adding that the carrier would seek to buy 10-12 aircraft a year for the next two years and 15 planes in 2009-2010.
He said that the air carrier would acquire seven Airbus 321 liners in the fourth quarter this year and then another four A-320s in the first quarter of 2007. Okulov also said Aeroflot would buy three Boeing-767s later this year.
On June 7, Aeroflot posted a 10.3% year-on-year increase in its 2005 net profit calculated according to International Accounting Standards to $189.8 million.
