Skytrain

Skytrain

IATA ICAO Callsign ST SNR GALLEON
Founded	31 January 1994 (1994-01-31)
Commenced operations	22 March 1994 (1994-03-22)
Hubs	Bogdan Berezutskiy International Airport Ulich Zhdanovo International Airport Pokrovsk International Kamianets International Airport
Focus cities	Ulich Sigairen Krasno
Frequent-flyer program	Skytrain Miles
Subsidiaries	Skytrain Express Airways Skytrain Cargo Eagle Air GoldCare Technik (50%) CityExpress Krøtinsk Flyselsannrer Skytrain Fly Training
Fleet size	242
Destinations	93 (Sept. 2018)
Company slogan	Fly with experience (current) Galleons connecting the World (1992-2017)
Parent company	Skytrain Group Limited
Headquarters	Ulich, Dulebia
Key people	Vyacheslav Lyudmilov (Chairman & CEO) Vasiliy Karkov (President)
Revenue	US$ 34.7 billion (Nov. 2018)
Net income	US$ 97.8 million (Nov. 2018)
Employees	23,700 (2016-2017)
Website	www.skytrain.db

Skytrain (Russian: Скайтрейн‎) is an airline based in Ulich, Dulebia. The airline is a subsidiary of The Skytrain Group Limited, which is partially owned by the Dulebian Government. It is one of the largest airlines in Gaia, and the biggest one in Erdara, operating over 1,780 flights per week from its main hub at Bogdan Berezutskiy International Airport in Ulich, to more than 59 cities in 11 countries across Gaia. Cargo activities are undertaken by Skytrain Cargo.

Skytrain is the world's first largest airline in scheduled revenue passenger-kilometres flown, the first-largest in Dulebia in terms of international passengers carried, and the second-largest in terms of freight tonne-kilometres flown. From March 2016 to February 2017 Skytrain had the longest non-stop commercial flight from the Dulebia to TBA.

The airline was formed in 1994, after the merger of several smaller operators and the national carrier Dulebian Airways, which went bankrupt in 1993, all being remnants of the national carrier of People's Republic of Dulebia - DAT. The merger was organised with the support of the Dulebian government, and the newly-formed airline received a huge amount of financial aid by the state in the first five years after its formation, mostly in order to replace the old aircraft in its fleet inherited from DAT. The airline received international certification in 1994, and in the next year began its international commercial flights, with its first international destination being Sigairen in Tudonia. The Dulebian state held a major stack of 28% in the airline, but decreased it in 1999 to 14.5%. Skytrain showed a series of commercial successes in the first decade of the 21st century. The airline opened 19 new routes and purchased 107 aircraft in total from 2001 until 2008.

Skytrain operates a mix of wide- and medium-body airliners, all of which are domestically produced by UAK aircraft consortium. The main type in the fleet is the C848, numbering 85 aircraft. Skytrain focuses mainly on intercontinental routes but also operates numerous lines in Erdara. Domestic flights are carried by its subsidiaries, the Skytrain Express, Eagle Air and CityExpress.

History

DAT

DAT Be-202 in Ulich in 1979. DAT was the flag carrier of People's Republic of Dulebia between 1937 and 1990, and was the biggest airline in the Socialist bloc.

In 1937, the Sovnarkom of the People's Republic of Dulebia published an order to unite all civil aircraft in the country under its authority. In the same year, the Narkom of Aviation of the PRD published the "Aerotransport in Dulebia". This document set the basic regulations of air transport in the country, and for the first time mentioned DAT as the name of the united civil air fleet. In the following years, DAT opened numerous passenger lines across Dulebia, and in 1942 it started the first regular flights to Hytekojuznia and Brilliania. Until 1945, the airline operated 11 domestic and 5 international routes. The new economic policies of Dulebia in the late '50s, on part with improved relations with some western countries, made it possible to open several new flights to Mascylla and Alriika.

DAT kept growing throughout the '60s and '70s, and by 1980 it was the biggest airline in the Eastern bloc, as well as one of the biggest in Gaia, operating more than 52 routes with a fleet of 179 aircraft.

Privatisation and Dulebian Airways

The collapse of the Dulebian economy following the dissolution of the People's Republic forced most strategic companies once owned and sustained by the state to commence privatisation and reorganisation in order to survive. In the case of DAT, the Dulebian Government decided to divide the airline into several smaller companies, spread the fleet among them and sell all but one company to private investors. One company was left under governmental control, and it was renamed Dulebian Airways, commencing operation in 1991. It received a small portion of the former DAT fleet, numbering only 23 aircraft, with further 2 ordered just as the airline commenced operations in April 1991. However, it is worth mentioning that Dulebian Airways received only the most modern aircraft of the former airline. The rest of the fleet of the former flag carrier DAT was either scrapped or sold to the newly-formed private regional and international airlines, with Jet1, leisure airline formed in January 1991, receiving 68 Beriev-124s.

Dulebian Airways C828 in Ulich in 1992. The company went bankrupt the next year, without making any profit after 3 years of operation.

Dulebian Airways inherited a small part of the former international network of DAT. The poor safety record of Dulebian post-socialist airlines and the general lack of interest in international flights during the financial crisis caused numerous countries to remove the license of the Dulebian flag carrier, and the poor state of domestic airports greatly affected Dulebia's air transport infrastructure. In total, Dulebian Airways managed to sustain only 11 routes, of which 5 were international. The airline failed to attract new passengers, both domestic and international, even after numerous attempts to lower the costs of tickets. Such attempts were often accompanied by safety regulation violations and reduction of maintenance quality. The air incident of Flight 314, for example, was caused by improper maintenance of the rear cargo door of the plane. The airline was partially privatised again in November 1992, however, it was quickly discovered that the new investor has ties with the then-Prime Minister of Dulebia, Vyacheslav Mutko. On the trial against Mutko in 1997, facts of the airline usage for money laundering was disclosed.

Bankruptcy and reorganisation

The last nail in the ark for Dulebian Airways was the air crash of Flight 3461, caused by the mentally-ill flight officer. Due to the crash, the license of the airline was revoked by every country to which it had regular flights, and soon it was landed by the Dulebian Air Transport Safety Commission (DKBAT MTI). On par with that, it was disclosed that the total debt of the airline exceeded 1 billion Ћ in January 1993, more than 6 months before the crash. The Dulebian Veche placed an ultimatum to the airline to present a new business plan in the term of 3 weeks. The airline failed and was terminated in October 1993.

The financial crisis of the early '90s in Dulebia made most air transport companies unable to generate any profit. In order to prevent the complete collapse of the air transport in the country, it was decided to merge the biggest airlines in Dulebia to form a partially state-owned flag carrier. After a discussion with the investors of 4 major Dulebian airlines of the time, the merge was organised in the early months of 1994. The result of it was the formation of Skytrain. As before, it received a major part of the fleets of the merged airlines, they on par consisting mostly aged DAT aircraft. The state stack was reduced to 28%, and the Veche agreed to sustain the airline in the first five years of its existence until the domestic market stabilizes.

Recent history

The new strategy of the airline proved a commercial success. Skytrain managed to get an international license in 1994, and until 1996 it restored all of the routes once operated by Dulebian Airways, and even added new flights. The governmental aid on par with reduced prices from domestic producers in case of mass aircraft purchases gave Skytrain the opportunity to quickly renew its fleet and finally retire the heritage of DAT. The massive growth of the domestic market helped it generate a stable income, and in the early '00s Skytrain also opened 19 new international routes. The commercial success of the airline continued in the '10s, with more than 100 aircraft being obtained until 2012.

Skytrain obtained several national and international carriers in 2011-2016, including CityExpress in Dulebia, Krøtinsk Flyselsannrer in Crethia and Air Juznia in Juznia. Numerous international projects in the aviation industry were launched by the airline, these including Degusto flight catering, GoldCare Technik and Skytrain Flight Training.

Corporate affairs

Airline subsidiaries

In addition to its main passenger operation, Skytrain has several airline subsidiaries, including:

Wholly owned by Skytrain

• Skytrain Regional - Regional airline, operating flights within Dulebia and on short-haul flights to Tudonia

• Skytrain Cargo - Cargo airline based in Ulich, Dulebia

• Krøtinsk Flyselsannrer - Crethian flag carrier airline based in Donhaven

• Jet1 - Dulebian leisure airline, based in Kamianets and operating flights mostly to southern countries

• CityExpress - Dulebian regional airline, operating short-haul and air taxi flights in Dulebia

• EagleAir - Dulebian leisure airline operating flights to Erdaran countries

• Globus - Dulebian low-cost airline based in Ulich

• Meridian Holidays - Dulebian tour operator and leisure airline

Partially owned by Skytrain

• Air Juznia - the flag carrier of Juznia, obtained by Skytrain in 2008 after governmental tender. Stacks shared with the Government of Juznia.

• Mura Aero - Dulebian regional airline operating domestic flights. Skytrain owns 47% of the stakes.

Other subsidiaries

• GoldCare Technik - Aircraft maintenance company. Partially-owned (50%). Established after an agreement together with the Tudonian government in 2014.

• Skytrain Flight Training

• Degusto Sky Catering

Partner airlines

Skytrain describes Air Juznia, Alriikair, Esera, Globus as partner airlines. The partnerships mainly involve code-sharing and recognition of each other's frequent flier programmes.

Fleet

Main article: Historical fleet of Skytrain

A Skytrain billboard banner, 2019.

C848-600, the biggest aircraft operated by the airline.

The current fleet of Skytrain consists of a mix of narrow- and wide-body airliners. Mid-range jet aircraft fleet is composed only of C717 aircraft of different modifications, some of which are nearly 40 years old. Skytrain has planned a huge fleet upgrade to be done in the 2020s, with 65 aircraft ordered. The last C717 is planned to be delivered in 2029.

The long-haul park is composed of C818, C848 and C878 aircraft, the latter forming the backbone of the transcontinental lines of the airline. In 2016 Skytrain announced the purchase of 21 new C878-300ER, 48 878-9 and 30 818-10 aircraft, placing the biggest one-time order in civil aviation history.

Current fleet

Name	In service	Orders	F	B	E+	E	Dates operated
Mid-range jetliners
C717-200	3			8		96	1981 - present
C717-300	2			8		104	1986 - present
C717-400	5			8		116	1991 - present
C717-7	32			12		110	2001 - present
C717-8	25	12		16		118	2006 - present
C717-9	12	31		16		127	2008 - present
Long-range jetliners
C818-200LR	2			24		156	2001 - present
C818-300	11			34	70	123	1994 - present
C818-300ER	28	12		34	70	123	1998 - present
C818-400ER	3	1	8	34	70	160	2003 - present
C848-300	11	5		30	28	221	1997 - present
C848-600	32	13	8	48	32	280	1997 - present
C878-300	10		11	66	90	198	1997 - present
C878-300ER	66	21	24	72	90	208	2012 - present
C878-9		48	24	72	90	208	After 2020 (awaiting deliveries)
C878-10		30	24	96	90	240	After 2020 (awaiting deliveries)
Total	242	173

Skytrain C848-600 in current livery taking-off

Skytrain UAC 818 in Ulich

Skytrain C878 in flight

Skytrain C717 in the retro 1990s livery

Historical fleet

TBA

Naming conventions

Since 1977 Skytrain gives a name to every aircraft it possesses. The name consists of Galleon and a saint or region name. It is written in the airline's purple colour on the nose of the aircraft. When an aircraft is decommissioned, its name is freed up and can be used by active fleet members.

Vintage aircraft restoration

The restorated Beriev C-49 at the Kamianets International Airport.

In 2014 together with the Dulebian Vintage Aircraft Club Skytrain announced the establishment of a vintage aircraft restoration facility close to the Ulich International airport. The facility consists of 2 hangars, previously operated by the airline for the maintenance of its short-haul airliners. The organisation received the name Skytrain Classic. The airline recruits retired employees, as well as volunteers.

Since its establishment, Skytrain Classic completely restored 5 aircraft, 3 of which to air-worthy condition. These include a Beriev C-49, 2 Beriev C-124, one La-1011 and one Beriev C-12. 2 aircraft returned to the Skytrain park as flying museums, 2 were transferred to the Museum of Aviation in Ulich, and one was placed outside the Kamianets airport as an open museum.

The organisation currently is restoring 3 more former Skytrain aircraft, as well as 2 fighters of the former Dulebian People's Air Force, the latter for the Museum of Aviation of Ulich. Since 2019, Skytrain Classic started to receive requests from abroad.

Destinations

Codeshare agreements

A Skytrain C717 taking-off from Ulich International Airport.

Skytrain has codeshare agreements with the following airlines:

• AirBlue
• Air Juznia
• Alriikair
• Azurair
• CityExpress
• Eagle Air
• Esera
• Globus
• Jet1
• Krøtinsk Flyselsannrer
• Meridian Holidays
• Mura Aero

List of destinations

Main article: List of Skytrain destinations

Hub

Focus city

Seasonal service

Services

Catering

Business class menu as served on long-haul Skytrain flights.

Catering on Skytrain flights from is provided by Degusto Flight Catering which operates one of the largest airline catering facilities in the world. Skytrain also offers special meal options, in all classes, based on age, dietary restrictions, preference and religious observance. Special meals must be ordered in advance, at least 24 hours before the flight departure time. Salad meals, however, do not need to be booked as they are part of the normal meal. The airline can arrange special dinings for Continental class passengers, including 6 meals and a dessert. The additional payment is 890$.

Cabins

Skytrain Continental Class

Continental First Class onboard C848-600 in Ulich.

There are two types of first-class seating; one is a fully enclosed suite with a ceiling to floor door with doors that close but don’t extend to the ceiling, the other being unenclosed suite. Both suites come complete with a mini-bar, a coat rack and storage. They also feature the Skytrain ES system on a 23-inch-wide (58 cm) LCD screen in the open suites and a 32-inch-wide (81 cm) on the fully enclosed suite. The seat converts into a 2-metre-long (79 in) fully flat bed. Private suites are available on 3-class C818-400ER and C878-300. The fully enclosed suites are available on its newly delivered C878-300ER aircraft exclusively.

On its newly delivered FISAR C878-300ER, First class features private suites, two shower-equipped lavatories and spa, and access to the first/business class bar area and lounge. Premium class seating is located in the front of the aircraft.

Skytrain introduced this new Continental Class cabin for the fleet on 12 November 2017 and the first flight to Aleia and Midrasia on 1 December 2017. The new First Class cabin is configured with eight suites on a 1-2-1 layout. The middle suites come with virtual windows that project a live feed from the outside of the aircraft in real-time. Both the middle suites are equipped with 3 virtual windows which are high definition LCD screens which relay real-time image using the HD cameras on either side of the aircraft.

Amenities include 2 minibars placed on either side of the entertainment screen, a 13inch tablet with a front camera to communicate with the cabin crew and to order room service. A panel to control the lighting and temperature inside the suite. Skytrain has also introduced a new seat, which features a new zero-gravity position. The suites are expected to resemble "a private bedroom on a luxury yacht".

Skytrain Explorer Business Class

Skytrain Explorer Business Class seats for transcontinental flights.

Business-class on FISAR 818-200LRs, 818-300s, 818-300ERs and 878-300s feature seats with a 1.5-metre-long (60 in) pitch that recline to 2-metre-long (79 in), angled lie-flat beds. Amenities include massage function, privacy partition, winged headrest with six-way movement, two individual reading lights and an overhead light per seat, in-seat power supply, USB Ports and an RCA socket for laptop connection, over 600 channels of entertainment on ES, shown on a 17 in-wide (43 cm) TV screen.

On FISAR C818-400ERs and C878-300ERs aircraft, the seats recline to form a fully flat bed and are equipped with personal mini-bars. Due to the unique staggered layout, half of the business class seats on Skytrain liners are 23 cm (9 in) shorter than the others, at only 1.8 m (70 in) long. Business class passengers also have access to an onboard bar at the front of the aircraft.

Skytrain Economy Class

Skytrain Economy class offers a 79–81-centimetre-long (31–32 in) seat pitch on 818 series aircraft and 86 cm (34 in) on 878 series aircraft and standard seat width (except on the C878-300ER). Skytrain has ten seats per row on its C878 fleet. The seat features adjustable headrests, a 3000 channel SE In-Flight-Entertainment and in-seat laptop power-outlets on newer aircraft and laptop recharging facilities in galleys in older aircraft. There is additional recline on C878-300ER economy class seats.

In-flight Entertainment System

Economy Class for transcontinental flights.

FLY is the in-flight entertainment system operated by Skytrain.

FLY was introduced to the public for the first time in 2014. The system was revolutionary for the industry. It consists of a wide LCD screen mounted in the seat, touchscreen display, and a controller. The system is installed on most long-haul aircraft of the airline, and in all three classes, altho different classes provide different amount of extras and screen width. In its basic, economy class variant, FLY offers the passengers a selection of 3500 movies, 1800 podcasts in several languages, live HD translation from 5 cameras installed outside the aircraft, "Virtual window" technology simulating the view from the windows of the plane in HD quality for the middle row passengers, the daily news in 15 languages, live GPS tracking of the plane, 5 messenger apps, as well as a collection of 150 games. Apart from that, FLY screens have integrated 220V and USB ports, and are connected to the onboard Wi-Fi.

Since 2017, FLY also offers a "Kids mode" function for the parents that can be turned on and off from other screens on the same row after a request to the flight attendants. The system also supports co-op games that can be played by up to 3 people from their screens. FLY has a collection of 3800 songs but also supports personal audio- and video-playback via Bluetooth. Skytrain also offers single-use headsets in all classes excluding Economy.

The system is installed on almost all long-haul aircraft of the airline. A simplified version is installed in the Business class of newer generation short-haul aircraft of Skytrain. The airline has announced its plans to develop a similar system for the Economy class of the short-haul fleet, but for now, a date for its installation was not announced.

FLY has already been criticized by safety experts due to its high electricity consumption rate and the risks of fires in case of overloading. There are also opinions that FLY might affect the aircraft's navigational equipment, or can be used for hacker attacks against the central computer of the machine. For now, there were no incidents with FLY reported by Skytrain. However, its predecessor has been named the cause of the crash of Flight 252 in 2014, causing severe damage to the reputation of in-flight entertainment systems. FLY was extensively upgraded in order to prevent future accidents involving its wiring. The cyber defence of the system is constantly upgraded to ensure the safety of the passengers.

Lounges

Imperial Lounge, Romellea International.

Skytrain operates three types of lounges within its destination network: Imperial lounge, Explorer, and Welcome Lounges. Each departure lounge is accessible both through travel class or Miles status; the Welcome Lounge is limited to arriving premium passengers of the Skytrain Business only.

Skytrain also operates a dedicated first class terminal at Ivan Vazov International Airport. The first terminal of its kind, access is limited only to departing Skytrain Imperial Class. Approximately 200 staff care for approximately 300 passengers per day in the terminal, which features a full-service restaurant, full bar, cigar lounge, relaxation rooms, and offices, as well as bath facilities.

Hotels

Business class room in Hotel Continental, Samaryansk

Skytrain established its own hotel chain in 1999. Continental hotels are built in numerous major airports, both throughout Romellea and in other international airports. Skytrain ensures rooms for transfer passengers from Explorer Class and Presidental rooms for transferring Imperial Class passengers. In case of a cancelled flight, all passengers get rooms in Continental hotels if they're present on the airport until a new flight is arranged.

Limousines

Complimentary chauffeur-driven airport transfers are available to Business and First Class passengers in over 14 cities.

It was known that Skytrain used Brewerr B70 wagons for Explorer Class passengers and Andcar M-Class cars for Imperial Class passengers in Samaryansk, however, as of March 2017, Skytrain has upgraded its fleet of cars for Business Class passengers to brand new Gladiator 5 Series touring cars.

The type of vehicle varies depending on the location and service provider that the airline has signed a contract within that area.

Programs

Skytrain Miles Program

Miles program commercial poster, 2012

Skytrain's frequent-flyer programme is called Miles and is shared among several airlines, including all of Skytrain's subsidiary airlines, plus Azurair, Eagle Air (owned by Skytrain), Aleiair and Star Airways. Miles members may earn miles on Skytrain flights and partner flights, as well as through Skytrain credit cards, and purchases made through the Skytrain shops. Status within Miles is determined by miles flown during one calendar year with specific partners. Membership levels include: Miles member (no minimal threshold), Adventurer (Silver, 35,000-mile (56,000 km) threshold or 30 individual flights), Explorer (Gold, 100,000-mile (160,000 km) threshold), and Imperial Circle (Black, 600,000-mile (970,000 km) threshold over two calendar years). All Miles status levels higher than Miles member offer lounge access and executive bonus miles, with the higher levels offering more exclusive benefits.

Skytrain Business

Skytrain has exclusive offers to business passengers. Those include upgraded Miles program with a higher range of products. Skytrain can arrange business jet flights for its business customers. Also, it can book hotels in other countries for the business passengers to stay in while abroad. If needed, Skytrain can also provide personal experienced drivers in some cities. The Business program is being developed and already has contracts with numerous corporations.

Skytrain has created a huge network of connection with other airlines of the Old World, creating a highly-developed infrastructure. Business passengers can use it to ease their transfer and reduce the time needed to travel from point A to B. Skytrain Business ensures the fastest check-in for frequent-flyers. The airline also offers quick transfer to the Romellenic Rail Services. Both companies have signed codeshare agreement, and tickets for both services can be booked on Skytrain's website. For business passengers, the company assures transportation between airports and railway stations inside Romellea.

Divisions

Skytrain Express

Main article: Skytrain Express

Skytrain Express is the domestic carrier subsidiary of Skytrain Airways. It serves all the routes inside the Romellenic Federation. The airline is also used to transport passengers between different domestic airports for their transfer flights. Skytrain Express operates mainly small regional aircraft but also has several C717 aircraft in its park.

Skytrain Cargo

Main article: Skytrain Cargo

Skytrain Cargo is the air freight division of Skytrain. It began operations in October 1985 and launched its own aircraft services in 2001 with a FISAR 878F Freighter. It serves 10 exclusive cargo destinations, besides others in common with the Skytrain passenger network.

Incidents and accidents

MB-25M, the aircraft involved in the Skytrain Flight 252 incident, seen preparing for taxiing in Kamianets in 2013.

• On May 26th, 1995, Skytrain Flight 3152, a Beriev C-124 (registration MB-341), flying between Pokrovsk and Chervontsy, crashed during take-off due to improper configuration of the plane. During the take-off, the second pilot accidentally turned on the engine reverses, causing insufficient airflow. 12 passengers and 1 flight attendant were killed from the 98 passengers and 5 crew onboard, another 42 were seriously injured.

• On April 11th, 1997, Skytrain Flight 112, a C878-300 (registration MB-757), operating a flight between Sangashamman and Ulich, collided with an agricultural plane upon landing. The pilot of the agricultural plane was killed on sight, while the Skytrain airliner suffered from serious damage to the right landing gear. The plane managed to land but was damaged beyond repair after its right engine hit the tarmac. Only minor injuries were reported among its passengers.

• On August 3rd, 2003, Skytrain Flight 6, an C717-7 (registration MB-XV2), operating a flight between Kamianets and Pokrovsk, suffered from a bird strike during take-off. The plane hit a flock of seagulls, and lost engine 1, which caught fire afterwards. The flight crew managed to return the plane safely to Kamianets. No casualties were reported.

• On June 15th, 2014, Skytrain Flight 252, a C858-300 (registration MB-25M), operating a flight between Pokrovsk and Königsreh, caught fire just before take-off due to an electric arc caused by overloading of the wiring by the newly-installed in-flight entertainment system. The fire was located only 12 minutes after take-off, at which point it had already reached the cabin, as well as the middle fuel tank, and had caused major damage to the hydraulic and electrical systems of the plane. During an attempt to turn the aircraft back to Pokrovsk, the crew lost control at an altitude of 1900 meters, after which the plane crashed in a forest. All 294 passengers and 15 flight crew died in the incident, making it the worst incident in the history of the company.

• On November 2nd, 2018, Skytrain Flight 2234, an C717-7 (registration MB-A34), operating a flight between Tanaus and Ulich, crashed during an attempted visual approach to the runway in fog. The plane missed the runway and landed only 15m meters to the right. During the landing, the landing gear and the left engine were damaged beyond repair. Several minor injuries and one broken leg were reported.

Gallery

• 

  Skytrain Imperial Class onboard C818-400 in Samaryansk, 23.03.2015

• 

  Bar onboard FISAR C878-300ER.

• 

  Skytrain Explorer Class, FISAR C818-200.

• 

  Economy class cabin of a C818-300ER aircraft.

• 

  C818-400ER in Skytrain livery

• 

  Concept economy class cabin of a C878-9. 48 aircraft were ordered by Skytrain

• 

  The new Explorer cabin concept. Planned to be introduced in 2020 on the new generation C878 liners

• 

  Domestic Explorer Lounge, Ivan Vazov International.

See also

[[1]]