General director Vladimir Tikhonov told a press conference that more passengers and increased efficiency led revenues that were 10 percent higher for the first six months of 1994 than for the same period last year.
"We have succeeded in stabilizing our financial activities, and for the first half of this year we had an income of 900 billion rubles ($425 million)," said Tikhonov, who took over as general director at the beginning of summer.
Despite the turmoil in Russian aviation, Aeroflot -- which flies only the international routes of the former Soviet airline monopoly -- has enjoyed a profit for several years. In 1993, the airline made $190 million.
Despite the openness about its finances, Tikhonov was angered when asked about March's Airbus disaster which killed 75 people en route from Moscow to Hong Kong. A transcript of the crew's final minutes shows that the pilot was giving children a flight lesson shortly before the fatal crash.
"I will not apologize for this to you," he said.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
