Mr Putin goes to war for AiRUnion. Russian aviation crisis of confidence leads to mass consolidation

This is the Perspective from today's edition of Europe Airline Daily - the comprehensive new pre-digested daily update on strategic news from Europe, saving you time and keeping you right up to date. Complimentary subscriptions to this report are currently available. Register now!

Just as Russian holidaymakers set out to return home late last month, profligate and sprawling airline conglomerate, AiRUnion, was forced to ground flights as it failed to honour long outstanding fuel debts. The political furore created by thousands of stranded tourists was sufficient to cause Prime Minister Vladimir Putin to step in, first slapping the wrist of his Deputy PM and Transport Minister, then directing the state-owned Russian Technologies to fix the problem. Today, the crisis is apparently over, but its resolution will come at a significant cost to state coffers.