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Ural Airlines on U.S. Blacklist[/align] class=bl
By Lyuba Pronina
Staff Writer Moscow TimesThe U.S. State Department has advised U.S. citizens to avoid using Ural Airlines, a carrier based in Yekaterinburg, "due to operations issues and safety concerns."
No reason has been given for the warning, which was issued Tuesday. The airline said Wednesday the warning was the result of a misunderstanding and was issued after the carrier canceled a flight that was to fly consular staff based in Yekaterinburg.
"This is a warden message for all American citizens. Please distribute it to your American citizen friends and colleagues. Due to operations issues and safety concerns, U.S. government personnel in Russia have been advised to avoid travel on Ural Airlines," said the message from the State Department.
Contacted by telephone, both the State Department and the U.S. Embassy in Moscow refused to explain the warning Wednesday. An embassy spokesperson said only that any information regarding threats that is circulated within the department must also be shared with all U.S. citizens.
Sergei Skuratov, general director of Ural Airlines, said the recommendation appeared after the airline postponed a chartered flight from Istanbul to Yekaterinburg from March 9 to March 11, according to an airline statement.
Two deputy consuls were registered on the flight. They were offered flights to Yekaterinburg via Moscow but declined the offer, the statement said.
The airline said it provided them with free accommodation, meals and excursions, and was surprised when they later asked for compensation.
A Ural Airlines representative met with the U.S. consul in Yekaterinburg on Wednesday, the airline said. No details were provided.
"The issue is being discussed between Moscow and Washington," Maria Matveyeva, spokeswoman for the U.S. Consulate in Yekaterinburg, said Wednesday. "We will be ready to comment either tomorrow or the day after."
Ural Airlines, in operation since 1993, is Russia's No. 8 airline by passengers carried last year. It operates a fleet of 23 aircraft, including Il-86s and Tu-154s. Last year, it flew 992,000 passengers to 48 destinations in Russia and 55 destinations abroad.
Alexander Neradko, head of the Federal Transportation Inspection Service, said the airline had a good safety and security record. "I am surprised by this recommendation," he said.
"There haven't been warnings from the U.S. State Department against Russian airlines for a long time," said Karl Ruppel, head of the Transportation Ministry's government policy department.
The embassy could not immediately say when the last warning had been issued.
