Russia's First Budget Airline Opens

A Sky Express plane at Moscow's Vnukovo Airport today (ITAR-TASS) January 29, 2007 -- Russia's first-ever budget airline, Sky Express, launched its first flight today.

The airline, which currently operates flights between Moscow and the Black Sea resort of Sochi, plans to expand its routes to several Russian cities including Rostov-on-Donu, Perm, Yekaterinburg, Ufa, Anapa, and Chelyabinsk.

Sky Express charges as little as 900 rubles ($35) for a return ticket to Sochi -- a fraction of the rate charged by competing airlines.

(ITAR-TASS)