OREANDA-NEWS. UTair Aviation has signed an agreement with United Basketball League (VTB United League) to provide air transport services for all teams and league members playing in Russian and CIS cities in the 2013-2014 basketball season.

“Our airline is delighted to support a project of such scale that makes a contribution to the development of Russian sports,” said UTair Passenger Airlines President Oleg Semyonov. “UTair's route network covers 90% of Russian territory and almost all CIS countries and perfectly corresponds to the geography and schedule of the League. Serving as Official Carrier will help sportsmen to save time and strength for victories on the court that will satisfy millions of Russian fans.”

UTair has a long experience of providing air transport services for sportsmen and supports numerous sport teams and organizations, including the Krylya Sovetov and Avangard hockey teams, the Tyumen and Anji football teams, and the Yugra University basketball team. Since 2002 UTair has been the official carrier for the final stage of the World Biathlon Cup in Khanty-Mansiysk and has also been the official carrier of the World and European Youth Judo Open Championship in Tyumen, the 10th World Cup Boxing among oil producing countries and the Women's World Chess Championship.

UTair Aviation ranks among the top three Russian airlines. In 2012 UTair aircraft transported 8,582,681 passengers. The airline operates more than 200 fixed wing aircraft and performs flights to 110 destinations. The airline maintains its central hub at Vnukovo International Airport in Moscow, from which it performs 100 flights daily.