Rossiya Airlines is bringing a new inflight entertainment (IFE) to its services. The Saint Petersburg, Russia-headquartered carrier will expand this addition to its incoming Irkut MC-21 aircraft, which are expected to join the company next year.

Heading into a new generation

The Aeroflot subsidiary will be the first operator of the highly-anticipated MC-21. Notably, Russia is keen to have its domestic operations taken over by homegrown planes. So, with Rossiya serving around 30 destinations in the nation, the UAC-backed aircraft is a natural fit for the airline.

Ahead of the introduction, Rossiya has shared that it is upgrading its cabins with a new streaming service called RPortal. Passengers will be able to access the product by their personal devices to enjoy content such as movies, TV shows, music, and written material. Moreover, travelers will be able to contact flight attendants and view flight information with the portal.

MC-21 Tail
The new aircraft will be all produced domestically. Photo: Sumit Singh | Simple Flying

Plenty on offer

Those flying the Sukhoi Superjet 100, another UAC aircraft, will also be able to enjoy the benefits of RPortal. Overall, domestic and regional services will see a boost in on board entertainment with the move.

“It is planned in the future to expand significantly the range of services provided and to personalise the service as much as possible... It will be possible to use the new on-board system on all the airline’s flights, including short regional ones.” - Rossiya via FlightGlobal.

MC-21
Passengers and crew members will both benefit from the wide cabin. Photo: Sumit Singh | Simple Flying

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Nearly time for service entry

This IFE implementation complements the arrival of the MC-21, bringing a new age of operations in Russia. Rossiya is expected to take delivery of the first MC-21 in September 2022, with the parent, Aeroflot placing an order for 50 units of the type.

Just last month, Irkut completed its first MC-21 production with Russian composite wings. Along with this, the twinjet will be available in either US-based Pratt & Whitney’s PW1400G or Russian outfit Aviadvigatel’s PD-14s.

These initiatives highlight the local focus of the program, something that Rostec's leadership emphasized in an interview with Simple Flying earlier this year. The conglomerate wants the MC-21 to replace Airbus and Boeing jets domestically by the time the 2030s arrive. Importantly, domestic operations significantly downplayed the impact of the global health crisis on Russia's aviation market over the last two years.

One of the unique attributes of the plane is its wide cabin, which is 11 cm (4.3 in) wider than the Airbus A320 and 27 cm (11 in) wider than the Boeing 737. With plenty of space on board matched by new inflight entertainment offerings, passengers flying with Rossiya will have plenty of comfort on the carrier’s operations with the aircraft this decade.

What are your thoughts about Rossiya introducing a new IFE system to its operations? Additionally, what do you make of the upcoming introduction of the MC-21? Let us know what you think of the airline and its services in the comment section.