Germany's Sky Handling is reporting an increasing demand in Russia for its flight support network, with general manager Daniel Löwenstein emphasising the need for 'increasingly competitive pricing'. “The challenge is to execute our services in time, to have no delays for the operators,” he remarks.

Löwenstein says that fuel is a particular challenge in Russia: “There is a big challenge to avoid high fuel prices for our customers in this region. In the past we faced some issues with the airport with invoicing or raising the amounts for fuel or for third party fuelling.”

He says that the most difficult request the company has had came recently in Russia, where a landing permit for Moscow was required within two hours. “We just about made it!”

Sky Handling has sourced further investment which could signal a move beyond Russia and the CIS: “For 2014 we are going to expand our services worldwide,” concludes Löwenstein.