Russia's Aeroflot withdraws Tu-134 planes from operation

:cry: 01/01/2008 14:28 MOSCOW, January 1 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's flagship air carrier Aeroflot [RTS: AFLT] said Tuesday it had completed the operation of Tu-134 aircraft.

The Aeroflot board approved February 15, 2007 a program to gradually replace the airline's Tu-134 planes with modern aircraft.

The last flight by a Tu-134 aircraft was performed on December 31 from Russia's western exclave of Kaliningrad to Moscow, Aeroflot said.

All 14 Tu-134 planes in the Aeroflot fleet will be replaced by new-generation aircraft, especially the promising Russian SuperJet-100 short-range plane, which has been developed by the Sukhoi design bureau and whose delivery is expected to begin in late 2008, and medium-range A319 and A320 airbuses, the Russian air carrier said.

The Tu-134 plane, which seats 76 passengers, came into serial production in 1967. It flies to distances of up to 3,000 kilometers (1,864 miles).

Founded in 1923, Aeroflot accounts for 51% of Russia's international air traffic and 12% of domestic flights.


http://en.rian.ru/business/20080101/95077980.html

shame, that's a beautiful airplane. i wonder if they're all going to go for scrap now.