Sberbank of Russia, Aeroflot-Russian Airlines and international system of payment Visa International start promotion campaign for ‘Visa Aeroflot’ card in Sberbank of Russia from April 1, 2005.

From April 1 to May 31, 2005, everyone who wishes to open ‘Visa Aeroflot’ card in subsidiaries of Sberbank of Russia is to be free of payment for establishing an account and annual operation fee; he also gets 3 000 bonus miles according to Aeroflot Bonus program.

Every Sberbank of Russia customer who becomes ‘Visa Aeroflot’ card holder within the period from April 1 to May 31, 2005, is to be provided with an opportunity to accumulate bonus miles faster than any other Aeroflot Bonus program participants in order to substitute them with tickets for Aeroflot-Russian Airlines regular flights.

Using ‘Visa Aeroflot’ card to pay for goods and services in shopping and service centers within the campaign card holders will be given 2 bonus miles for each dollar spent or 30 rubles. The most active user is to be awarded with the main prize – a trip to Europe for two.

“Programs on accumulating bonuses to be substituted for free air travels have become very popular in the world, and together with the safest and the most comfortable payment facility as an international card of Sberbank of Russia they will be undoubtedly very popular among Russian people”, – noted Andrey Sobolev, Banking Cards Control Department of Sberbank of Russia.

He expressed his hope that taking into account additional bonuses Visa Aeroflot card of Sberbank of Russia will evoke interest of not only business representatives, the airline company’s traditional customers, it will also help attract to the program people who want to use advantages of international cards paying for goods and services in Russia and abroad.

“Visa Aeroflot card is to become a permanent companion for every one while shopping or traveling”, –Andrey Sobolev concluded.

According to Aeroflot Commercial Director Yevgeny Bachurin, Sberbank of Russia and Aeroflot-Russian Airlines are recognized leaders of Russian economy in their spheres, have experience in cooperation at a number of projects. Experience and professionalism embodied in the product provide Visa Aeroflot with success and demand on the Russian market. Visa Aeroflot card provides higher quality of servicing its customers, helps the airline company’s passengers not only pay for their shopping during the travel but simultaneously accumulate bonuses that may be used later acquiring free air tickets for Aeroflot flights.

Sberbank of Russia

On November 12, 1841, the first Charter of saving-banks was approved by the Decree of the Emperor Nicholas I. Since 1991 Sberbank of Russia has been a commercial bank of Russian Federation (an open joint-stock company). The Central Bank of Russian Federation controls more than 60% of its stocks. More than 200 000 individuals and legal entities are bank stockholders. As at January 1, 2004, the system of subsidiaries of Sberbank of Russia includes more than 20 000 subsidiaries and home departments.

According to the main results Sberbank of Russia is on the first place among banks of Central and Eastern Europe. On November 19, 2004, Fitch International Agency increased long-term rating of Sberbank of Russia from ‘BB+’ level up to ‘BBB- level. Long-term liability rating of Sberbank of Russia is ‘???2’ exceeds the country rating of the Russian Federation.

Now Sberbank of Russia has the highest credit ratings among Russian banks. According to the results of the competition in September 2004 The Banker Journal pronounced Sberbank of Russia to be the winner in the nomination ‘Bank of 2004 in Russia’.

During 2004 card portfolio of Sberbank of Russia increased by 32% and amounted to 9.1 million items including 6.3 million international cards. Turnover of card accounts increased by 67% during a year.

The bank Internet-site: www.sbrf.ru

Aeroflot-Russian Airlines

Aeroflot–Russian Airlines (RTS: AFLT) is the largest Russian Company. The state owns 51 per cent of its stocks. It was established in 1923. It controls 11 per cent of home and 39 per cent of international market of air carriages of Russia. According to RAP net income amounted to 3 978 million rubles in 2003. According to its financial indicators it is in the list of 25 top airline companies of the world (according to ATW). In 2004 Aeroflot transported 6.8 million passengers. There are 86 airliners in its fleet. Its headquarter is located in Moscow in Sheremetyevo Airport. It is going to build its own terminal Sheremetyevo–3 by 2007. Apply for detailed information about the airline company on its web–sites www.aeroflot.ru, www.aeroflotbonus.ru.

Visa International

Visa is the largest international payment system. Annual turnover of Visa cards exceeds 3 trillion USD. Visa cards are accepted in more than 150 countries of the world. Visa plays an important part in introducing new payment facilities and technologies in the interest of 21 000 financial institutions, its members, and in the interests of Visa card holders. Visa is a leader in the sphere of Internet payments and initiates the establishment of universal business – an opportunity to make business any time, in any place using different communication means. Apply for additional information on web–sites of the payment system www.corporate.visa.com.

Visa is the largest payment system in Russia. Visa has become the first international card issued in Russia at the beginning of 1980s. Today Visa has the leading positions among all the international payment systems in Russia. According to the results at the end of the third quarter of 2004, Russian banks-Visa members issued more than 15.5 million Visa cards. Annual turnover of Visa cards in Russia amounted to more than 26 billion USD, this is a significant contribution to development of the Russian economy as well as an indicator of growing customers’ trust to Visa cards as safe and convenient means of payment for goods and services. In Russia Visa cards are accepted in almost 77 000 shopping centers and more than 17 000 cash dispensers. So, Visa presents the broadest system of plastic cards reception to Russian and foreign Visa card holders in Russia.

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