MOSCOW, January 13 - RAPSI. An appellate court has registered an appeal filed by Dagestan Airlines against reducing the amount claimed from Anzhi Makhachkala football club owned by billionaire Suleyman Kerimov, the court told the Russian Legal Information agency (RAPSI/rapsinews.com).

The claim was reduced from 25.5 million rubles ($805,000) to 16.8 million rubles ($530,000).

The appeal hearing date has yet to be set.

Dagestan Airlines claimed 17.6 million rubles ($555,500) in principal debt under a charter service contract dated March 26, 2009. The airline also sought to recover 1.76 million rubles ($55,500) for increasing coefficient and 6.07 million rubles ($192,000) in penalties.

The airline challenged the Dagestan Commercial Court's November 29 decision to satisfy its claim partially.

As the parties failed to appear before the court the judgment was passed in absentia.

In January 2011 Anzhi was acquired by a business tycoon Suleyman Kerimov, who managed to purchase Brazilian world champion Roberto Carlos, Russian international Yuri Zhirkov and star forward Cameroonian Samuel Eto'o.

The Rusian Agency for Property management reported last February the auction to sell 100 percent of the state-run Dagestan Airlines failed for the absence of bids. Company shares were put on sale as a single lot worth 790 million rubles ($25 million).

According to the airline's balance sheet its short-term liabilities amounted to 442.44 million rubles ($14 million) as of September 30, 2010, including accounts payable equal to 273.92 million rubles ($8.6 million). Its fleet comprises 11 aircraft.