On 21st July 2008, upon inspecting the soundness of prices on the market of aviation kerosene and fuel-and-refilling services, the Samara Office of FAS Russia initiated a case against the group of persons «LUKOIL AERO» Ltd. and «Samara» Fuel-and-Refilling Company» CJSC for violating Article 10 of the Federal Law «On Protection of Competition».
Inspection of prices on the market of jet-engine fuel (aviation kerosene) and fuel-and-refilling services in Kourumoch airport revealed that purchasing fuel prices had increased in December 2007 and May-June 2008 by 24 % and 27 % accordingly in comparison with the preceding months; ex-works prices for the airlines (»into plane») also had grown up considerable in December 2007 and May-June 2008, by 16 % and 27 % accordingly. The operator - «Samara» Fuel-and Refilling Company» CJSC - is in the same group of persons with «LUKOIL AERO» Ltd. (build.1, 3, Pokrovsky Boulevard, Moscow), which supplies fuel to the fuel-and-refilling sector.
Information given by «Samara» Airlines, which is one of largest fuel consumers in Kourumoch airport, corroborated the evidence obtained from the fuel-and-refilling sector. At the same time the Airlines reported about other facts of forced fuel buying from the fuel-and-refilling sector and unreasonable refusals to store the Airlines fuel, and indicated the absence of written evidence.
Based on the above, the Samara Office of FAS Russia decided to initiate a case against the group of persons «LUKOIL AERO» Ltd. and «Samara» Fuel-and Refilling Company» CJSC.
