UTair orders 20 Airbus A321s worth $2 billion

'We are delighted to welcome UTair as a new Airbus customer in Russia and the latest for the A320 Family,' said John Leahy, Airbus Chief Operating Officer, Customers.

'This is the largest order for the type received from a carrier in the region and the first time that UTair has ordered Airbus aircraft,' said the manufacturer. 

The airline's passenger traffic on its domestic and international routes  is up more than 40 per cent on last year.

With its headquarters in Khanty-Mansiysk, and its main hub in Tyumen, UTair carried almost 3.9 million passengers in the first six months of this year.

The A321 aircraft carries a maximum of 220 passengers. 

In Moscow, the airline operates at Vnukovo Airport and offers good connections to many Siberian cities.