News / New era of competition sees AN-124 charter cost fall significantly

The high costs of chartering an AN-124 have fallen by as much as 40%, in some cases, since the near-monopoly of the Ruslan joint-venture was dissolved.

The break-up happened at the end of last year, due to political differences between Russia and Ukraine.

Admitting prices for the aircraft, marketed by Antonov/Volga-Dnepr company Ruslan, had been high due to limited market choice, Oleg Orlov, Antonov’s vice president, said: “It was a monopoly, but now the price has come down and there is more demand.

“Some ...