Transaero has issued a press release saying the airline does not like the tone of the media coverage for its January 16 flight UN622 Monastir – Domodedovo, which «was not evacuation». On 16 January a Boeing 767 carried back to Moscow a total of 240 travelers including children.

That flight was made upon receiving special permission by the Tunisian authorities that half-lifted the temporary ban on outbound international passenger flights from Tunisia. The ban was imposed due to uprising and clashes in that country.

Transaero says none of the governmental bodies had applied to the airline with an order or plea to evacuate Russian citizens from Tunisia. Therefore, the UN622 flight «was ordinary commercial service performed on the timetable», the airline insists.

The only special thing about the 16 January flight was the fact that it was flown by an airplane with a larger seating capacity. Sending a Boeing 767 to Monastir was Transaero’s decision made in the view of the compelling circumstances. There were quite a few of people out there with Transaero tickets on their hands, who wanted to leave Tunisia «earlier». The decision was made in consultation with tourist agencies which urged Transaero to get home Russian holiday makers who felt they had had enough of Tunisia. Together with the tourist agencies Transaero calculated that the required airplane capacity should be just above 200 seats. Having allocated such an airplane, the airline opened sales to fill the airplane to the capacity. Should governmental structured had applied to Transaero with respective order, the airline would have placed a larger aircraft that was actually chosen, a Boeing 767 with 235 seats.

The airline insists that it sold 24 tickets at its check-in point in the departure airport in presence of the Russian consulate officials, at a flat rate of 210 US dollars including tax. Transaero holds all receipts to prove this claim and is open to listen to any customer who traveled on that flight if they have any claims.

All these statements are made in the wake of «unfair media reports» broadcasted recently in which the airline is painted as selling tickets at inflated prices in Tunisia and rejecting passengers in the view of having empty seats in the departing aircraft.

Transaero says it is «infuriated» by unjustified and unfair statements made by certain personalities to the media which are damaging the airline’s image and reputation in the eyes of the customers. The carrier threatens with legal actions.