While major aviation markets are bouncing back after the pandemic, Russia continues to be affected by global sanctions. Latest figures reveal that its passenger traffic is still down as Russian airlines face restrictions in several parts of the world. With several aerospace companies pulling out of the country, maintaining fleet and operations has also been challenging.

Traffic still down

Russian airlines continue to struggle with low passenger numbers, with October figures revealing 25% fewer travelers than last year.

Reuters cites data from Rosstat state statistics service, which says that carriers in the country flew 8.25 million passengers in October, with a total number of passengers carried during the first 10 months of the year to 81 million. This was 14.3% lower than the same duration in 2021 when COVID affected air travel.

Aeroflot Russian Airlines and Rossiya Airlines jet aircrafts at Moscow-Sheremetyevo International Airport.
Photo: Getty Images

While globally, aviation markets are steadily recovering from the pandemic, Russia is facing the geopolitical consequences of its conflict with Ukraine, with global sanctions affecting many industries, including aviation.

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Sanctions continue

Russian airlines are bearing the brunt of global restrictions. One of the most affected carriers is the national airline Aeroflot. Its passenger numbers this year have dropped compared to last year, with the entire state-owned Aeroflot Group airlines carrying a combined 31.3 million passengers from January up until October, compared to 34.1 million in the same period in 2021.

An Airbus A321-211 aircraft of Russian airline Aeroflot with registration VP-BOE (R) is seen in the long term parking for planes of Geneva Airport on March 25, 2022.
Photo: Getty Images

With major plane manufacturers such as Airbus and Boeing pulling out of Russia, the country’s carriers have had to resort to all kinds of methods, including cannibalizing other aircraft for parts to maintain operations.

According to The Moscow Times, Aeroflot has also halted in-flight entertainment amid sanctions and is encouraging passengers to get through this temporary inconvenience by doing a “digital detox,” taking a nap, or reading a book.

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Earlier this year, S7 Airlines announced that it had put plans for a new low-cost subsidiary on hold for the foreseeable future. The airline was set to launch in July under the brand of Citrus, which is short for Cities of Russia, with the goal of connecting less-served cities in the country. However, a lack of available aircraft resulted in the project's suspension.

With aircraft unlikely to come from foreign manufacturers anytime soon, airlines in the country have begun looking inward for their fleet requirements. Aeroflot is looking at homemade solutions by placing an order for 339 locally built aircraft comprising 210 Irkut MC-21-300s, 40 Tupolev Tu-214 narrowbodies, and 89 Irkut SSJ 100/95-NEW regional jets, a revised version of the Superjet 100.

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Source: Reuters