OREANDA-NEWS. May 22, 2014. Aeroflot’s Public Council has been opened with the first working session. The Council was created as a consultative and advisory body, which will help Russia’s leading airline to formulate its position taking into account demands of the society. Also the Council will be involved in advising the Government on regulation and development of the national air transport industry.

Aeroflot’s Public Council includes 26 Board members who work free of charge with annual rotation. The Board unites prominent figures of culture, education, health, sports, business, media, public organizations and industry’s representatives. The Board members represent key regions `under Aeroflot strategy.

The Chairman of Aeroflot’s Public Council is Tatiana Tarasova, a world-renowned figure skating coach, Honored Coach of the USSR. Deputy Chairman is Boris Rybak, Managing Director of Infomost Consulting Agency.

Among the main items on the first session’s agenda was the questing of pricing, which stays one of the most relevant issues for the civil aviation. Aeroflot has developed a comprehensive program to reduce the cost of air travel in Russia. The laws, recently adopted by the State Duma and signed by the President of the Russian Federation which directly influence the national air travel, include important provisions from this program. However, some instances try to exert administrative pressure in questions of pricing, and such attempts are detrimental to the industry and, ultimately, to the interests of passengers.

The participants of the meeting reviewed plans for Dobrolet, a budget airline to be launched the next month within the Aeroflot Group. This carrier is classified as a low cost carrier, and by cost-cutting on certain service elements it will initially offer passengers fares that will be 15-20% lower than Aeroflot’s current economy class. Dobrolet will also play an important role in the transport integration of Crimea with other regions — Simferopol will become a key destination from the very start.

"As the national carrier Aeroflot operates in the interests of the state and society, — said Aeroflot’s CEO Vitaly Saveliev. — We see our main mission in making the air travel more convenient, reliable, and most importantly, affordable for our citizens. Maintaining close ties with the society and effectively responding to its requests is both an obligation and a long tradition of Aeroflot. The Public Council will make the existing dialogue even more active and productive".