Greek airline Aegean Airlines was founded in 1999 on the basis of the private airline Aegean Aviation, which was the first in Greece to receive an operator certificate and operated charter flights on Bombardier Learjet Family aircraft (carrying 7-10 passengers over distances of up to 3,778 - 5,556 kilometers). Aegean Airlines operated its first flights in May 1999 (Athens - Heraklion flight and Athens - Thessaloniki flight)...
The Argentine airline Aerolineas Argentinas was founded on December 7, 1950 by State Decree Nº 26.099. Next year, the Inter-American Press Information Society recognizes Aerolineas Argentinas as the world's best commercial airline in terms of organizational efficiency and quality of service. On January 27, 1953, Aerolineas Argentinas began operating regular flights from Buenos Aires to...
The Mexican airline Aeromexico was founded on October 1, 1988. However, Aeromexico airline has a longer history, because... Aeromexico's roots go back to Aeronaves de Mexico, which operated its first Mexico-Acapulco flight on a Stinson SR on September 14, 1934. After the formation of Aerovias de Mexico, S.A. de C.V. (which used the "Aeromexico" trademark and the "Eagle Warrior" logo) airline...
Low cost airline from United United Arab Emirates Air Arabia operated its first flight to Sharjah Manama on October 28, 2003. Since then, airline Air Arabia began to methodically increase the number of destinations to which this air carrier flies. Air Arabia experienced a particularly noticeable increase in the number of new destinations in 2009, 2011 and 2012. A rather interesting fact is that in the expanses of the former...
Air Astana is the undoubted leader among airlines in Kazakhstan. Air Astana operated its first flight on May 15, 2002 on the route Almaty - Astana. The presence among the shareholders of a company that itself is engaged in the production of aircraft (BAE Systems, as part of the Eurofighter GmbH consortium, is engaged in the production of parts of the fourth generation multirole fighter Eurofighter Typhoon, thanks to which our MiG-35...
Organized former pilot Pan American airline Kim Lundgren, Air Berlin operated its first flight from Berlin to Palma de Mallorca on April 28, 1979 on a Boeing 707 airliner. In April 1991, Air Berlin underwent global changes. Following the purchase of 82.5% of Air Berlin by Joachim Hunold, the company was renamed Air Berlin Inc. at Air Berlin GmbH & Co. Luftverkehrs...
The Canadian airline Air Canada made its first flight on September 1, 1937, when it transported two passengers and mail from Vancouver to Seattle on a Lockheed L-10A aircraft (though at that time, Air Canada was called Trans-Canada Air Lines). Air Canada received its current name only in 1964. Since 1984, Air Canada has launched its frequent flyer program Aeropl...
Air China Limited was created on the basis of its predecessor Air China and began operations on September 30, 2004, providing air transportation services under the control of China Aviation Group. Air China is China's leading airline in the civil aviation and a member of the world's largest aviation alliance, Star Alliance (28 airlines). Air China operates 284 passenger flights...
Air Europa (Air Europa Lineas Aereas, S.A.U.) was founded in 1986 and initially operated charter flights. In 1991, Air Europa was acquired by a group of investors led by Juan José Hidalgo. In 1993, Air Europa began operating regular flights within Spain. In 1994, Air Europa began operating regular flights between Madrid and Barcelona and challenged Ibe...
Air France was created through a merger agreement between five French airlines Air Union, Air Orient, Societe Generale de Transport Aerien (SGTA), CIDNA and Aeropostale signed on August 17, 1933. Air France operated its first flight at 4:45 on September 1, 1933 (flight AF-491 from Marseille to Toulouse). A little later (at 8:30) the second Air France flight (AF-471) departed to Strasbourg from Par...
Air Malta was registered on March 30, 1973 and on April 1, 1973, as a gift from the Prime Minister of Malta, received a license to operate air transport valid for 10 years. However, Air Malta was able to operate its first flight only a year later. Having leased 2 Boeing 720B airliners from Pakistan International Airlines, on April 1, 1974, Air Malta began...
The official founding date of Air Moldova is considered to be January 12, 1993 (decree of the President of the Republic of Moldova), however, Air Moldova employees, not without reason, have a slightly different opinion. The fact is that the Air Moldova airline arose as a result of the reorganization of the aviation industry in Moldova, receiving both flight and service units from it. In fact, Air Moldova is a continuation...
Air New Zealand began its history back in April 1940. At that time, Tasman Empire Airways Limited (TEAL) began operating trans-Tasman flights using flying boats. The airline Tasman Empire Airways Limited (TEAL) quite quickly expanded its route network (Australia, Asia, USA, Great Britain, Germany) and in 1951 opened the very popular Pacific “Coral Route” Auckland-Fiji, which attracted the interest of the ruler...
Based in Belgrade international airport Air Serbia was created as a result of the rebranding of Jat Airways. After several attempts, on August 1, 2013, the government of the Republic of Serbia signed an agreement with Etihad Airways. According to this agreement: the national airline of Serbia, Jat Airways, is obliged to change its name to Air Serbia; 49% of the shares of Air Serbia are transferred to the ownership of the airline...
Air Seychelles was established in 1978, as a result of the renaming of the state airline of the republic Seychelles(formed in 1977 by the government purchasing several small airline companies operating flights between the islands of Mahe, Praslin and Fregate). Air Seychelles was initially positioned as an air carrier for operating only domestic flights. However, in...
The history of airBaltic began with the joint venture agreement AIR BALTIC CORPORATION SIA signed on August 28, 1995. On October 1, 1995, the first airBaltic SAAB 340 aircraft (a passenger turboprop aircraft capable of transporting from 30 to 36 people over distances of up to 1,730 km) landed at Riga Airport. In 1996, airBaltic receives its first AVRO RJ70 aircraft and joins the SAS program...
Air One S.p.A., operating as Air One "Smart Carrier" is an Italian low-cost airline headquartered in Fiumicino (Rome), a subsidiary of the country's flagship airline Alitalia. The carrier's transit hubs are Milan Malpensa Airport, Pisa Airport, Venice Marco Polo Airport and Catania Fontanarossa Airport. Immediately before the merger with Alitalia, Air One was the second largest...
AirX Charter is Malta's private charter airline. AirX has a European Air Operator Certificate (AOC) in Malta and has a fleet of 18 aircraft. The airline's fleet consists of: Airbus A340, 3 x Boeing 737 (two in VIP configuration), 7 x Bombardier Challenger 850, 4 x Cessna Citation X, 3 x Embraer Legacy 600....
The largest airline in Italy, Alitalia, was founded in September 1946 and at that time was called Alitalia-Aereolinee Italiane Internazionali. Alitalia performed its first flight on May 5, 1947 on a three-engine Fiat G-12 aircraft (flight Turin - Rome - Catania). In July of the same year, Alitalia airline made its first international flight. On the Savoia Marchetti SM95, Alitalia airlines...
The largest US air carrier, American Airlines, was formed in 1934, after the renaming of American Airways, which dates back to April 15, 1926. In 1937 (February 16), American Airlines carried its millionth passenger. On January 25, 1959, American Airlines operates its first transcontinental flight. In 1998, American Airlines became the first airline...
The Japanese airline ANA came into existence on April 1, 2013, in connection with the transition of All Nippon Airways Co., Ltd. on the holding structure and transformations at ANA HOLDINGS INC. ANA's history dates back to December 1952, when Japan Helicopter & Aeroplane Transports Co., Ltd. was established. Japan Helicopter & Aeroplane Transports C...
Asiana Airlines was founded on February 17, 1988. 10 months later (December 10), Asiana Airlines acquired the Boeing B737-400 airliner and began operating domestic flights (from Seoul to Busan and Gwangju). Already in December 1989, Asiana Airlines operated its first international flight (Seoul-Sendai charter flight). Asiana Airlines is beginning to rapidly develop its own infrastructure and...
Based at the Greek international airport of Thessaloniki, Astra Airlines operated its first flight in the summer of 2008. Specializing in charter flights, Astra Airlines has a JAR – OPS – 1 (AOC) certificate and strictly adheres to the safety regulations established by JAA / EASA. Having at its disposal an air fleet consisting of two mid-size BAe-146-300 "Whisperjet" aircraft and...
Atlasglobal (until 2015 Atlasjet; official name Atlasjet Havacılık A.Ş.) is a Turkish airline operating scheduled and charter flights passenger air transportation both countries of Europe and Asia, and within Turkey. Based at Istanbul Ataturk Airport, with an additional hub at Dalaman Airport. Owned by ETS Group....
On April 4, 1957, the merger of both Austrian airlines (Air Austria and Austrian Airways) created Austrian Airlines, which was officially registered as Austrian Airlines AG on September 30, 1957. On March 31, 1958, Austrian Airlines operated its first flight (Vienna - London). To operate its flights until March 1, 1960, Austrian Airlines used its four turbo...
Colombian airline Avianca is the largest airline Latin America. Avianca's history began with the creation of Colombia's national airline, Sociedad Colombo Alemana de Transporte Aereo (SCADTA), on December 5, 1919. SCADTA operated its first flight, during which one passenger and two pilots flew from Barranquil to Puerto Berrio, in September 1920. July 23, 1921, and...
Azur Air (legal name LLC PKF KATEKAVIA) - Russian charter airline, based at Moscow Domodedovo Airport. Since 2015, it has been part of the tourism holding company Anex Tour ism Group and works for the needs of the tour operator Anex Tour, performing international charter flights from Russian cities. Until the end of 2014, the company was called Katekavia and was a regional airline specializing in air transportation in the Siberian and Volga regions...
The private Italian airline Blue Panorama Airlines was founded in 1998 and operated its first flight in December this year. Blue Panorama Airlines specialized in operating both scheduled and charter flights from Italy. By establishing codeshare agreements with Alitalia, Blue Air and Cubana de Aviacion, Blue Panorama Airlines is significantly expanding its route network. Blue Pan Airlines...
The Greek airline Bluebird Airways was founded in 2008. The main location of Bluebird Airways is Heraklion International Airport "Nikos Kazantzakis", from which the airline begins to operate both regular and charter flights to Russia, Turkey and Israel. In 2010, Bluebird Airways became a member of the Versus Group and began to operate significantly more flights to Russia on its only...
The British airline British Midland Airways (BMI) began life in 1938 as a flight school, which trains pilots for the Royal Air Force. Since 1949, the airline has continued to operate scheduled commercial flights under the name Derby Aviation, and in 1953, the airline began operating exclusively as an air carrier and changed its name to Derby Airways. Since 1964 it has had its current name - British...
British Airways is the national airline of the United Kingdom, based at London Heathrow Airport. British Airways is the largest airline in the UK by fleet size and number of international flights operated. British Airways was created on the basis of AT&T, an air carrier that operated flights from London to Paris, and was registered in 1974. British Airways is one of the founders of...
The Belgian airline Brussels Airlines was founded on March 25, 2007, as a result of the merger of two airlines (SN Brussels Airlines and Virgin Express) owned by SN Airholding. On September 15, 2008, Lufthansa acquired a 45% stake in the SN Airholding holding with the right to purchase the remaining 55% of the shares starting in 2011. On December 9, 2009, Brussels Airlines became an official member of the Star...
Bul Air is a Bulgarian charter airline. It is a subsidiary of Bulgaria Air. For charter flights, Bul Air operates a fleet of its own Boeing 737-300 aircraft (148 seats in economy class), the impeccable technical condition of which is ensured by Lufthansa Technic Sofia. In the future, the company plans to expand its fleet with Boeing 737-800NG aircraft ( 189 seats in economy class). This aircraft is considered the most...
Bulgaria Air is the national air carrier of the Republic of Bulgaria, which operates regular flights from Sofia and Varna to 28 destinations. Thanks to codeshare agreements with KLM, Air France, Brussels Airlines, Czech Airlines, El Al, LOT Polish Airlines, Malev Hungarian Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, Austrian Airlines, Alitalia, Air One and Aeroflot, customers of Bulgaria Air have access to a route network from...
Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific Airways was originally founded in Shanghai on September 24, 1946. Cathay Pacific Airways performed its first flight on the route Hong Kong-Manila-Shanghai on its first Douglas DC-3 aircraft named "Betsy". A rather interesting fact in the history of Cathay Pacific Airways is that after selling "Betsy" in 1955, 30 years later, Cathay Pacific Airways...
China Airlines was founded on December 16, 1959. China Airlines' operations Airlines started operate with 26 employees and an air fleet of three military aircraft (one Douglas C-54 Skymaster military transport aircraft and two PBY Catalina maritime patrol bombers). In 1961, China Airlines began transporting military cargo to Laos. In 1962, the airline...
China Eastern Airlines was established on the basis of the East China Regional Directorate of the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China People's Republic June 25, 1988: By January 2010, China Eastern Airlines had a fleet of 330 large and medium-sized passenger aircraft, as well as 18 general aviation aircraft, flying to 151 destinations. On this moment, air fleet airline...
China Southern Airlines (China Southern Airlines) began operating at Guangzhou Airport in 1989. Today, China Southern Airlines is the largest air carrier in the People's Republic of China, operating 1,930 flights every day to 193 destinations in 35 countries. China Southern Airlines was the first airline in the world to begin using Airbus A380 and Boeing 787 airliners. Currently...
Cobalt Air (“Cobalt Air”) is the youngest air carrier in Europe, whose specialization is stated to be the delivery of the vacationing public to the resorts of Cyprus. The chosen format of work is low-cost. The airline operated its first flight on July 7, 2016. The fleet consists of six aircraft - four Airbus A320s and two A319s. Serves 16 regular destinations....
Copa Airlines was founded in 1947 as the national carrier of Panama under the name Compania Panamena de Aviacion (COPA). Having begun to operate domestic air services connecting three cities on Douglas DC-3/C47 aircraft, COPA airlines already operated 3 international flights per week in 1996 (the first international line Copa Airlines Panama - San Jose). Having replenished its air fleet in 1969 with short-haul...
The national carrier of the Republic of Croatia, Croatia Airlines was founded on August 7, 1989 under the name Zagal (Zagreb Airlines). Zagal Airlines operated flights using Cessna 402 C aircraft in its fleet. After the elections in Croatia on July 23, 1990, Zagal Airlines was renamed Croatia Airlines. In 1991, Croatia Airlines leased aircraft from Adria Airways...
The national airline of the Republic of Cyprus, Cyprus Airways, was founded on September 24, 1947, and on April 18, 1948, Cyprus Airways operated its first flight from Nicosia Airport using a Douglas DC-3. Exactly five years later, Cyprus Airways begins to operate international flights (flight Nicosia - Athens). With a fleet of six Airbus A320 aircraft, Cyprus Airways operates...
National airline based at Prague Vaclav Havel Airport Czech Republic Czech Airlines was founded as Czechoslovak State Airlines on October 6, 1923, receiving 17 A-14 aircraft from the state. Czech Airlines performed its first flight carrying airmail from Prague to Bratislava on October 29, 1923 on an Aero A-14 (Brandenburg) biplane with registration number L-BARC. In 1929, Czech Air...
Delta Airlines was founded on May 30, 1924 under the name Huff Daland Dusters, which sprayed pesticides on the cotton fields of the US South. On September 13, 1928, Huff Daland Dusters was renamed Delta Air Service and operated its first passenger flight from Dallas to Jackson on June 17, 1929. In 1987, Delta Airlines became one of the five largest airlines in the world. In 1991, the airline...
The Egyptian airline EgyptAir was created on May 7, 1932. EgyptAir made its first commercial flight in August 1933, flying the Spartan Cruiser between Cairo and Alexandria. The airline EgyptAir began to develop rapidly and already in 1935 replenished its fleet with 12 De Havilland aircraft. In 1946, EgyptAir's fleet was replenished with 10 Beechcraft aircraft, and several years later...
Located at Tel Aviv Airport, the Israeli airline El Al was founded in 1948 as Israel National Airlines. El Al's first flight was in September 1948, during which El Al carried Israel's first president from Geneva to military base Tel Nof. In 1950-1956, El Al aircraft were actively used in operations "Magic Carpet" and "Ezra and Nehemiah", in...
Ellinair is a Greek airline based at Thessaloniki International Airport. The airline's headquarters are located in Thessaloniki. The airline was established in February 2013. Ellinair's main activity is to operate seasonal charter flights from the Greek resorts of Thessaloniki and Kerkyra to cities in Russia, Ukraine, Latvia and Italy. Since June 15, 2015, Ellinair has been operating regular domestic flights to popular Greek destinations...
Based at Abu Dhabi International Airport, Emirates Airlines is a wholly state-owned enterprise. Having leased two airliners (Boeing 737 and Airbus 300 B4), Emirates Airlines began operating commercial flights on October 25, 1985. Three years later, Emirates Airlines reached the level of generating stable profits and began to rapidly develop both its route network...
The national carrier of Ethiopia, Ethiopian Airlines was founded on December 21, 1945 under the name Ethiopian Air Lines. Ethiopian Air Lines operated its first flight on April 8, 1946 (from Addis Ababa to Cairo on a former American military aircraft, the Douglas C-47 Skytrain). With a fleet of five Douglas C-47 Skytrain aircraft, Ethiopian Air Lines is beginning to operate once a week...
Based at Abu Dhabi International Airport, national airline Etihad Airways is one of the fastest growing airlines in the world. Founded in July 2003, Etihad Airways operated its first demonstration flight to Al Ain on November 5, 2003, and began scheduled flights to Beirut on November 12. A year after its founding, Etihad Airways buys five...
Chinese private airline EVA Air was founded in March 1989. The development history of EVA Air is somewhat different from the typical development scenario of commercial airlines. As a subsidiary of the transport conglomerate Evergreen Group, EVA Air was originally created to transport both passengers and cargo. Immediately after its founding, the airline did not buy used aircraft and did not...
State-controlled Finnish airline Finnair is the successor to Aero O/Y, one of the oldest airlines in Europe (Aero O/Y was incorporated on September 12, 1923). In 1946, Aero O/Y was bought by the Finnish government and received its current name - Finnair. In the history of Finnair there is one interesting fact. In 1983, the airspace of the USSR was...
Based at Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Garuda Indonesia is the national carrier of Indonesia. Created under the name Garuda Indonesian Airways, the airline, with a fleet of Douglas DC-3 Dakota and PBY Catalina aircraft, began operating commercial flights back in 1949 (the flight from Calcutta to Rangoon was carried out on January 26, 1949). In the 60s of the last century, the airline Garuda Indonesia...
Germania Airlines was founded in 1986 as Germania Fluggesellschaft mbH and was headquartered in Cologne. Germania Airlines inherited its aircraft operating permit from S.A.T. The Germania airline put the first aircraft (Boeing 737-300) with the brand name "Germania" into operation in 1987 and in ten years increased the number of Boeing 737-300s to 13 units. In 1991, Germania airline began to operate...
The German airline Germanwings was founded on October 27, 2002 (the owner of 100% of the shares of Germanwings is Deutsche Lufthansa). Airline Germanwings is positioned as a low-cost carrier and successfully operates both domestic and international flights to more than 100 destinations (including flights from Moscow and St. Petersburg). As of the end of 2013, having withdrawn Airbus A airliners from its fleet...
Based at Moscow's Domodedovo Airport, Globus Airlines was founded in March 2008. Globus Airlines, part of the S7 Group of Companies, operates flights under the S7 Airlines brand. Globus Airlines operates regular flights throughout Russia, as well as to the CIS countries and Europe. The Globus airline fleet consists of 13 Boeing 737 aircraft of various modifications. Since 2011, the airline has been included in the register of I...
Hainan Airlines (Hainan Airlines Co Ltd) is the largest private airline in China. Formed in January 1993, Hainan Airlines (originally called Hainan Province Airlines) operated its first flight in the same year. in 1997, Hainan Province Airlines was renamed Hainan Airlines. Hainan Airlines aircraft operate regular domestic and international flights, as well as...
Heli Air Monaco is a helicopter airline based in Monaco. Heli Air Monaco was founded in 1976 with the support of the Prince of Monaco Rainier III and during this year transported 747 passengers on its only ENSTROM F28 helicopter. Throughout its history, Heli Air Monaco has constantly expanded its helicopter fleet...
The Russian charter airline I FLY received its Air Operator Certificate on November 24, 2009. The main activity of I FLY airline is the transportation of tourists to popular places recreation. One of the main directions of I FLY airline are flights operated from Vnukovo Airport to: Antalya Airport (Turkey); Hurghada Airport (Egypt); Suvarnabhumi Airport(Thailand). To operate flights, airlines...
Iberia airline is the largest airline in Spain. Iberia airline was founded on June 28, 1927. Iberia airline operated its first flight on December 28, 1927. Today, Iberia is one of the five largest airlines in Europe. Following the merger of Iberia, British Airways and Vueling into the International Airlines Group, Iberia becomes part of...
Icelandair is the national carrier of Iceland. The airline was created in 1937 under the name Flugflag Akureyrar (then it was based in the city of Akureyri). In 1940 the airline was moved to Reykjavik and renamed Flugfelag Islands. In 1973, it merged with Loftleiоir to form the Flugleiоir airline. And only a few more years later it received its current name - Icelandair. Basic air...
JSC IrAero Airlines is a Russian airline based at the international airport of Irkutsk. Provides scheduled, charter and cargo transportation throughout Russia, neighboring countries and China. JSC IrAero Airlines was founded in 1999. Since 2006, IrAero has been carrying out passenger transportation and is currently the largest carrier in the region.Park aircraft IrAero consists of aircraft type CRJ-100/200 (design...
The Israeli airline Israir Airlines dates back to 1996. Basically, Israir Airlines specializes in domestic scheduled passenger transportation. In addition, Israir Airlines operates regular, charter international flights and VIP transportation, as well as air taxi services. The base airport of Israir Airlines is Tel Aviv Ben-Gurion International Airport, and an additional...
Japan Airlines (JAL) was founded in 1951. At the moment, Japan Airlines is one of the largest airlines in Japan engaged in passenger and freight transportation. April 1, 2011, Japan Airlines International Co., Ltd. changed its name to Japan Airlines Co., Ltd.. The Japan Airlines fleet includes more than 300 modern airliners (mainly Boeing 747 brand). More than 8.5...
JAT Airways is the state airline of Serbia, based in Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport. The airline was founded in 1927 under the name Aeroput, and in 1947 it was renamed Jugoslovenski Aerotransport. In the 1980s it was one of the largest airlines in Europe. Today, JAT operates flights to European cities and maintains partnerships with several airlines, including Lufthansa. JAT Airways performs...
The private airline Karthago Airlines was founded in 2001. Despite the fact that the main base of Karthago Airlines is located at Djerba-Zarzis Airport, the majority of Karthago Airlines flights operate from Tunis-Carthage International Airport. Karthago Airlines specializes in operating charter flights between Tunisia and Europe (Copenhagen and Stockholm). By suck...
Kenya Airways was founded as a state-owned enterprise from the liquidated East African Airways in January 1977. In 1986, the process of privatization of Kenya Airways began. In 1997, Kenya Airways received its first of four Boeing 737-300s for domestic and regional flights and launched the Msafir frequent flyer loyalty program, which was integrated with...
The KLM airline was founded on September 12, 1919 by military pilot Albert Plesman and has since retained its name - KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (Royal Netherlands Airlines) and the motto: "The ocean of air brings people together." Despite its age, KLM airline has one of the newest and most modern fleets. It consists of 120 airliners of various brands: Airbus A330-200, Airbus A330-300, Boeing 737-700, Boeing...
The South Korean airline Korean Air was founded on March 1, 1969. Seoul-Kimpo International Airport is the home base of Korean Air. In 2007, Korean Air was awarded the prestigious World Airline Awards as the Best Economy Airline. Korean Air's fleet in September 2013 consisted of 147 aircraft (121 airliners for passenger transport and 26 airliners for...
LAN Airlines was created under the name Línea Aeropostal Santiago-Arica by the Chilean government to operate passenger, cargo and mail services in 1929. In 1932, the airline Línea Aeropostal Santiago-Arica was changed to Línea Aérea Nacional de Chile (LAN Chile). 60 years after the airline was founded, the Chilean government sells 51% of the airline's shares to local investors and Sca...
Lauda Airlines Air is an airline based in Vienna, Austria. Operates scheduled, charter and weekend flights to Europe, North Africa, Caribbean and Southeast Asia. Lauda Air was founded in 1979 by former Formula 1 champion Niki Lauda and began operations in 1985, initially providing charters and air taxi services. 1989 Lauda Air began operating its first long-haul...
LOT Polish Airlines is the national airline of Poland. 62.4% of its shares are owned by the Polish government, and the remaining 37.6% by SAir Group. The airline's representative office is located in Warsaw, as is its base airport - Warsaw-Okecie. LOT Polish Airlines began operations in 1929. But then the Civil Aviation Department nationalized all private airlines and merged them into one state airline - Linje Lot...
One of the oldest airlines in Europe, Lufthansa was registered on January 6, 1926. But it really turned around and became one of the largest air carriers only in the 60s, when it was the first in Europe to begin flying on the then most modern Boeing-707. Then the Lufthansa airline fleet expanded and was replenished with new Boeing 727, 737, 747 and economical Airbus A300. Today, Lufthansa's fleet includes...
Malaysia Airlines, the national state airline of Malaysia, was founded on October 12, 1937 under the name Malayan Airways Limited. As a national airline, Malayan Airways Limited operated its first commercial flight on April 2, 1947. Malaysia Airlines operates scheduled flights to 85 destinations on six continents. The main transit hub of Malaysia Airlines is the International...
The private Italian airline Meridiana was founded to promote tourism in Sardinia by Prince Karim on March 29, 1963, under the name Alisarda. In 1964, Alisarda began flying from Olbia Airport with eight local Beechcraft C-45 aircraft and carried 186 passengers in its first year of operation. After acquiring two 26-seater Nord 262 aircraft in 1966, Alisarda Airlines began...
Metrojet airline appeared on May 1, 2012, as a result of the renaming of the KOLAVIA airline, which was engaged in regular and charter air transportation (founded on May 17, 1993). In June 2013, the Metrojet airline based at Domodedovo Airport became part of the international tourism holding company TH&C, which marked the beginning of a new stage in the company's development. In 2013, Metrojet airline operated flights from Moscow to St. Petersburg...
MIAT Mongolian Airlines is the national airline of Mongolia, with its base airport in Ulaanbaatar "Chinggis Khaan International Airport". The history of MIAT Mongolian Airlines is inextricably linked with the history of the Mongolian Air Force, which begins with the gift of the Junkers Y-13, which the USSR gave to Mongolia on May 25, 1925. More or less regular air transportation of passengers within the country, MIAT Mongolian Airlines began in...
Middle East Airlines (MEA), the national carrier of Lebanon, is based at Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport. Middle East Airlines was founded on May 31, 1945, with the support of BOAC. Middle East Airlines began operating on January 1, 1946, with a flight from Beirut to Nicosia. Using the three air carriers at the airline's disposal...
The national airline of the Republic of Montenegro "Montenegro Airlines" was created in September (registration on October 24) 1994. The difficult situation in the country did not allow Montenegro Airlines to purchase its first aircraft (a used Fokker 28Mk 4000 called Lovcen) until the fall of 1996. Montenegro Airlines operated its first flight on May 7, 1997 (international flight to Bari). In July 1998,...
Niki Airlines is the first Austrian low-cost airline. Niki's history begins with the purchase of the German airline Aero Lloyd put up for auction in November 2003 (together with two Airbus 320 and one Airbus 321) and the founding of NIKI Luftfahrt GmbH. The main goal of NIKI Luftfahrt GmbH, in addition to organizing charter flights, is to create a new low-cost airline. Ni...
The Russian airline NordStar was established on December 17, 2008 and is a trademark owned by OJSC Taimyr Airlines. NordStar Airlines operated its first flight on June 17, 2009 (flight Moscow – Norilsk). At the initial stage of its activity, NordStar Airlines focused its efforts on air transportation between Norilsk, Krasnoyarsk and Moscow. By 2013, NordStar Airlines route network had increased significantly...
Nordwind Airlines (North Wind LLC) is one of the most dynamically developing airlines in Russia. Nordwind Airlines, created in May 2008, with only three aircraft, begins to operate charter flights to six resort destinations. In 2013, the route network Nordwind Airlines Airlines already had 97 destinations in 27 countries, while Nordwind Airlines plans for 2013-2014...
The Norwegian airline Norwegian (Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA) was founded in 1993. From its founding until 2012, Norwegian airlines, together with Braathens S.A.F.E. with the help of Fokker F-50 aircraft, it was engaged in air transportation on west coast Norway. After purchasing the airline Braathens S.A.F.E. SAS airline in 2002, Norwegian began operating scheduled domestic flights on Boeing aircraft...
Based at Tunis-Carthage International Airport, the private airline Nouvelair Tunisia dates back to the founding of Air Liberte Tunisie. Founded on October 6, 1989 as subsidiary airline French airline Air Liberte, Air Liberte Tunisie began operating its flights on two leased MD83 aircraft. After becoming the main owner of shares in Nouvelair Tunisia...
The Greek airline Olympic Air is the successor to the national airline Olympic Airways, founded on April 6, 1957. Olympic Airways was renamed Olympic Air in 2003 and operated air services until September 29, 2009. The new Olympic Air airline, which inherited the logo, property and part route network former company, performed its first flight on October 1, 2009. At the moment, based...
The national airline of Pakistan, Pakistan International Airlines, has a rather unusual history. was founded on October 23, 1946 (even before the partition of British India in 1947) in Calcutta under the name Orient Airways. Having received four Douglas DC-3 aircraft on June 4, 1947, Orient Airways began operating flights on the Calcutta-Sittwe-Yangon route. Since August 14, 1947 (Pakistan's Independence Day), Orient Air...
Pegas Fly (legal name of Ikar Airlines LLC) is a Russian airline based at Yemelyanovo Airport in Krasnoyarsk and providing regular long-haul passenger services. The airline has a Khabarovsk branch. The airline was founded in 1992 in Magadan. In 2013, the airline was purchased from previous owners and transferred to Krasnoyarsk. On April 16, 2013, permission was received to perform international...
Low-cost airline Pegasus Airlines is Turkey's only private airline operating domestic and international flights from Sabiha Gokcen Airport. The now low-cost airline Pegasus Airlines was founded on December 1, 1989 to operate tourist and charter flights. Pegasus Airlines operated its first flight on April 15, 1990. In 1994, the owner of all shares of Pega airline...
Australian airline Qantas is one of the oldest airlines in the world (second only to KLM) surviving to this day. The history of Qantas begins with the formation of Western Queensland Auto Aero Service Limited and its decision on 19 August 1920 to purchase two Avro 504K aircraft from Sydney Aerodrome. The formal formation of Qantas took place on November 16, 1920 at the Gresham Hotel in Brisbane. Western Que...
The national carrier of Qatar, Qatar Airways has been one of the fastest growing airlines in the world since 1997. Thanks to the group of companies included in the Qatar Airways Group (Qatar Duty Free, Al Maha Services, Qatar Aircraft Catering Company, Qatar Airways Cargo, Qatar Aviation Services, The Qatar Distribution Company, Internal Media Services, Doha International Airport and Qatar Executive), Qatar Airways in...
Based at Moscow Vnukovo Airport, the airline Red Wings Airlines was founded in 1999 under the name "Airlines 400". In 2007, Airlines 400 was renamed Red Wings Airlines, and since 2008 it has become a full member of the Russian Association of Air Transport Operators. Red Wings Airlines begins operating year-round charter flights to the most popular tourist destinations...
Royal Flight - ROYAL FLIGHT Airlines JSC is a Russian charter airline providing charter passenger air transportation. Based at Sheremetyevo Airport. The headquarters is located in Moscow. In 2014, the airline switched to international passenger transportation under the Royal Flight brand. On March 8, 2014, the first flight on the route Moscow - Antalya was carried out from Domodedovo Airport. Since May 25, 2015, Roy Airlines...
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Jordan's national airline, Royal Jordanian, was originally named Alia. Alia Airlines was founded on December 9, 1963 and began operations a week later. With three aircraft at its disposal, Alia began operating flights to four destinations, connecting Amman, Kuwait, Beirut and Cairo. Gradually, Alia airline increased its fleet and route map. Its first scheduled flight to Europe, the airline...
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Singaporean Singapore airline Airlines was founded in 1972 by splitting the older Malaysia-Singapore Airlines (founded on 1 May 1947 as Malayan Airways Limited) into two new airlines: Singapore Airlines and Malaysian Airline System. Thanks to concentrated efforts, by 1989, Singapore Airlines had at its disposal not only a developed ground infrastructure and an air fleet consisting of...
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The issue of flight safety is one of the most pressing questions that, one way or another, all travelers ask. Regardless of the distance, any tourist wants the hours and minutes spent in the sky to be as calm and comfortable as possible.
Often, the choice of the airline that operates the flight completely influences all these factors. Every year, international companies compile airline ratings that reflect the entire work of the carrier and its main indicator for passengers - safety.
The Vipgeo portal presents the most safe airlines Russia and the world, according to international ratings and authoritative publications.
Important: The list of airlines was compiled based on the rating of the European Aviation Safety Agency - EASA. There are several other similar agencies in the world, and their data may differ slightly.
Safe airlines in Russia
According to European agencies, in 2019 the airline was recognized as the safest carrier registered in Russia. It was assigned the highest rating of 0.24 points, based on the calculation - the closer to one, the more dangerous the flights by this carrier.
The rating is compiled based on checking the general condition of the aircraft, punctuality and compliance with standards according to documents and international law. As for plane crashes, since 1993, the residents of the Urals have not had a single incident with human casualties.
"S7"
In second place in terms of safety is the largest air carrier beyond the Urals " S7", formerly known as the Siberia company. The Siberians have an older fleet of aircraft; most often the company operates 15-20 year old Airbuses and Boeings on regular flights. However, the technical condition of the aircraft has never caused any complaints from international commissions.
Major air disasters this company occurred in the early 2000s, when a total of more than 300 people died. Since then, the “S7” level of transportation safety has met all international standards, and precedents, except for two emergency landings, was not recorded.
As for the largest and oldest airline in Russia - "" - today there is the most controversy. On the one hand, they have the most impressive budget and allow them to regularly update their aircraft fleet. But on the other hand, a series of disasters in the 90s seriously damaged the reputation of the once transportation giant. Therefore, now - only third place and 0.38 points.
But the main thing that is worth saying about Aeroflot is that the company is the only Russian carrier that is consistently included in international ratings. True, the same JACDEC agency in 2019 placed Aeroflot only in 36th place in the list of the safest airlines in the world.
The company "" registered in Khanty-Mansiysk today is one of the most popular carriers in the country, having dozens of domestic and international destinations.
Interestingly, the company’s fleet is based on new medium-capacity aircraft of the ATR brand, which makes the carrier a kind of leader in short regional flights.
UTair has had plane crashes, but the last major incident happened in 2014 with an MI-8 cargo helicopter. Passenger aircraft fly without incident.
Safest airlines in the world
The rating of the safest air carriers in the world in 2019 was deservedly topped by the company registered in Hong Kong. It has been on the market since 1946, and over the past three decades the only accident associated with its aircraft was a hard landing of a passenger airliner flying from Indonesia.
Today, Cathay Pacific Airways serves dozens of countries, including all Southeast Asia, Europe, USA and Russia. Recently, the company even launched a Russian-language website with the ability to book tickets.
Despite the incidents of 2017, UAE carriers continue to rank second in the ranking of the safest airlines in the world. And the company "" is considered the best of the best. They annually renew their fleet of ships, and also regularly improve the quality of service for passengers - from economy class to first class.
For Russian tourists, Emirates is important because it cooperates with S7, organizing connecting flights to Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam and the Maldives in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. In addition, in 10 Russian cities there is the possibility of direct charter flights by planes of this company.
"EVAAir"
Third place in the ranking of the safest airlines is occupied by another Chinese carrier - “ EVAAir" It began work in 1989, and over the years of its existence has not allowed a single plane crash with human casualties. The only precedents were associated with a hard landing in the United States.
Unfortunately, Russian travelers can use the services of this airline only at Asian airports.
"QatarAirways"
And fourth place, according to the airline safety ratings of 2019, was firmly occupied by Middle Eastern aircraft from the company "". The carrier is based in Doha and serves 160 destinations around the world. Since 1993, the company has had only two incidents, but both were without human casualties.
The carrier has a huge fleet of Boeings and Airbuses. What is attractive for Russian tourists is that Qatari planes regularly fly through Moscow, St. Petersburg and Voronezh.
Are low-cost airlines as dangerous as they say?
Recently, due to increasing reports of low-cost airline crashes, many tourists have begun to abandon low-cost carriers, sincerely believing that companies intend to skimp on safety for the sake of the number of tickets sold. But how true is this?
Tourists with extensive experience flying on low-cost airlines claim that rumors and speculation are nothing more than exaggerations. Yes, there are problems with low-cost airlines, but the key cause of disasters, as elsewhere, is the human factor. References to supposedly old planes of our Pobeda and other cheap companies are falsifications. Discussants who have doubts are referred to the official websites of the carrier.
If we take the issue seriously, the main problem of low-cost airlines is the lack of proper comfort during the flight, but not the safety of passengers. If you choose cheap flight, you need to know what you are saving on. If you are afraid, you have a direct route to the ticket offices of major airlines.
In connection with the increasing reports of plane crashes, especially low-cost airlines, many have become seriously concerned about flight safety issues. Air transport is generally considered one of the safest modes of travel. To dispel fears and speculation, you can trust trusted carriers. The most reliable airlines in the world are included in the corresponding ratings.
The issue of safe flights is carefully studied not only by ordinary passengers, but also by major statistical agencies. The most authoritative ratings of airline reliability are those of the German company Jacdec and the European Aviation Safety Agency, which publish lists of safe carriers based on research data. When calculating the coefficients, parameters over the past thirty years are taken into account. Other major international aviation organizations also conduct safety audits.
The calculation is made taking into account various indices with different specific weights. Thus, a recent accident will carry more weight than a disaster that occurred many years ago. When calculating, the following parameters are taken into account:
- Total number of passengers served.
- The total number of victims of disasters.
- Number of ships destroyed or lost.
- Number of breakdowns and emergency landings, runway overruns, etc.
- Rating of the state that owns the company: thoroughness and transparency of incident investigations.
The longer an airline operates without incident, the higher its position in the ranking. The safety index obtained as a result of calculations should be as small as possible, which will indicate the reliability of the company. Carriers with a high index are, accordingly, less safe.
The safest airlines in the world
Cathay Pacific Airways took first place according to the results of various agencies for the second year in a row.
Over the course of many years of its operation, the company from Hong Kong has occupied a leading position in the list of reliable carriers. In 30 years the only incidents were hard landing ships at the airport and two terrorist attacks on airplanes. The airline safety index is 0.006.
The second position is occupied by Emirates with a safety index of 0.007. Over the years of activity, only two incidents have been associated with this company in which no passengers were injured. The airlines cooperate with S7 and operate regular and charter flights from many Russian cities.
In third place is Eva Air, located in Taiwan. There were no serious incidents in her operation, with the exception of a runway overrun, a false report of a mine-laden vessel, and an emergency landing due to the poor health of one of the passengers. The Eva Air safety index is 0.008. This airline does not operate within Russia.
Safe airlines in Russia
Not all internationally recognized airlines operate in Russia. This, however, does not mean that there are no carriers in our country whose reliability you should not fear. A number of Russian enterprises have a safety index that does not exceed acceptable standards. Let's consider which airline in Russia is the most reliable.
In addition to the above parameters, the calculations take into account the punctuality of the carrier, the age and general technical condition of the vessels and their compliance with international documentation and standards. Let's list and consider the most reliable airlines in Russia.
According to EASA ratings, the leader in Russian air transportation for 2017 was the company " Ural Airlines" Its rating is 0.24 points. The company is characterized by high reliability: over a period of 14 years, it has not had a single incident where there were casualties.
The second place today is occupied by S7 Airlines, formerly known as Siberia. Despite the fleet of aircraft, which can be up to 20 years old, their technical condition does not cause concern to international commissions. The company fell on hard times in the early 2000s, with crashes killing about 300 passengers. Today, the flights of this carrier are distinguished by their reliability and quality.
Aeroflot takes different positions depending on different data. In 2016, it was characterized by a safety index of 0.108 points and was among the top 60 reliable global carriers, taking 36th place. This is a high figure, exceeding the parameters of many large foreign companies.
According to 2017 data, in Russia it is in third place and receives 0.38 points. The assessment was largely influenced by disasters that occurred back in the 1990s. Now the company is steadily renewing its fleet of aircraft and is characterized by reliability and high quality of services.
Transaero was also previously included in the list of the top 60 companies in the world, ranking 17th with a rating of 0.024. As of today, the airlines have ceased operations.
Khanty-Mansiysk carrier Utair today is a large popular company whose fleet of aircraft consists of young equipment. It specializes in short regional flights. The latest major airline incident was the crash of a cargo helicopter.
Alternative safety ratings
In addition to the generally accepted safety index scoring systems, there are other classifications of companies that are provided by some agencies. Thus, British researchers study companies based on their punctuality, where one of the lines was taken by the Russian S7 Airlines.
Skytrax has created a product called Quality Rating. The service is based on monthly calculations of company performance indicators and is constantly updated depending on the data received. The creators of the service emphasize that their calculations are not based on data on disasters, since such incidents may not be the fault of the airlines.
Careful analysis here includes the parameters of personnel compliance with safety standards and the availability of preparatory courses in case of an unforeseen situation. Agency experts visit companies to identify and compile a rating. In this case, carriers are not assigned marks or indices, but stars.
Seven companies were awarded five stars, including two companies included in the Jacdac and EASA ratings. These are Cathay Pacific Airways and Qatar Airways.
The list also includes Russian airlines.Thus, S7 Airlines and Aeroflot received three stars in the rating, and the Rossiya company received two stars.
Probability and causes of disasters
The disaster of the FlyDubai ship in Russia caused quite a stir. After the incident, a number of sources claimed that the crash was caused by neglect of flight safety measures. These data have not been confirmed, but the questions for low-cost airlines have not decreased.
It is worth noting that rumors about the incompetence of low-cost airline pilots and outdated equipment are completely false. The personnel and equipment of such companies meet all international requirements, and the difference between such flights and standard ones lies in the price and service.
When choosing a particular airline for a flight, almost everyone is based on the concept of reliability and safety. This applies to the design of the airliner itself, as well as the upcoming flight. According to websites that conduct flight safety research among Russian airlines, the best airlines in Russia still hold their positions.
The air carrier market is constantly developing, and passenger traffic is growing every day.
What should you pay attention to when choosing an air carrier?
In order to increase passenger flow, many airlines conduct various promotions that provide discounts for repeated use or lower ticket prices. What could this be connected with and what could it affect?
- Level of customer service.
When purchasing air tickets, you must pay attention to which category you fall into. Depending on the class of service, the difference in service and, accordingly, in the cost of tickets subsequently appears. Even with the best airlines in Russia, prices for air tickets are distributed depending on the class chosen by the client: economy, business and first.
- Frequency of flight delays.
It sometimes happens that some air carriers experience frequent flight delays. As a rule, this happens on charter flights. But sometimes regular flights are also delayed. The reasons may vary. For example, many flights in one direction, waiting in line, additional checks on board or emergency repairs. Developed companies strictly monitor the technical condition of air transport and equipment, and also calculate flight times in such a way as not to create flight delays, ensuring that customers are delivered to their destination on time and on time.
- Service on board.
Thousands of flights take place every day, and their routes often intersect. This creates a lot of competition. In order to attract customers specifically to them, carriers try to diversify Additional services offered on board. Nowadays, many people need constant access to the Internet for work, including at altitude. This service has now become available among the best airlines in Russia. For an additional fee, you can be online and work on the Internet during the flight.
In cases where the journey lasts more than 6 hours, passengers are provided with pillows and blankets. But even if the flight takes very little time, there is still always the opportunity to ask for a pillow and blanket.
- Meals on board.
Flights over 3 hours are already considered long and, as a rule, include meals on board. Depending on the class of service and the airline, the menu for passengers varies in its selection. Typically, if the flight is made at night or early in the morning, a choice of juice, tea, coffee and a light snack is served, and a hot dish, tea, coffee or juice with snacks is served during the day and evening.
- Technical condition of the liners.
Not all airlines regularly update their aircraft fleet. Before flying, many clients still study information about the condition and number of aircraft in the fleet of the selected air carrier. As a rule, the best airlines in Russia regularly update their fleet. A new plane subconsciously evokes a feeling of greater reliability than a plane with cracked skin. The new aircraft have modern equipment and are equipped with the latest developments in technology specializing in the aviation sector. They can reach high speeds while consuming less fuel. It is known that in the fleet of low-cost airline companies, as a rule, most of the aircraft are completely new, because less money is spent on their maintenance. This makes it possible to reduce ticket prices.
- Airfare.
For most customers, the deciding factor when choosing a flight is the price of the ticket. Air carriers organize various promotions or temporarily reduce the cost of a certain route during the off-season period. To attract more customer attention, many airlines resort to marketing tactics such as indicating next to the price information that there are only a few seats left at that price.
Airline Marketing Tricks
It is also noticed that if you request the same date on the same site, then initially low price no longer displayed. In order to see cheap tickets again, you need to log in from a different IP address. You can try simply changing your browser. Tickets purchased a few months before departure are usually 25% cheaper than those sold a few days before the upcoming flight.
Among the 10 best airlines in Russia, we can highlight the most important ones in terms of rating, safety and number of flights.
"Aeroflot"
The leading position is still occupied by Aeroflot, which carried more than 20 million people over the previous year. Being one of the oldest and largest airlines in the world, it has been regularly transporting passengers since the mid-20s of the 20th century.
According to research conducted in 2016, it is considered one of the safest airlines in the world. Over the previous year, an increase in passenger traffic of 12% was recorded compared to 2015. Today the company ranks first in the ranking of the best airlines in Russia.
S7
For many years now, the Siberian air carrier has proven itself to be a reliable company and inspires the trust of an increasing number of customers. By communicating with largest cities Russia, it often holds promotions and places special offers on its website. Thanks to this, many people fly S7 flights around Russia in business class at fairly affordable prices.
According to a study to determine which airline is the best in Russia for 2016, conducted on the basis of an anonymous survey, the number of seats booked in classes with increased comfort was made by people flying on business and business trips. Operating flights to 80 destinations in Russia and abroad, the company cooperates with partner airlines, including even the world famous British Airways.
By selling combined tickets, S7 manages to reduce the cost of flights by making transfers and connecting flights. Over the previous year, about 10 million people took advantage of the airline's flights.
"Russia"
Being a subsidiary of Aeroflot, Rossiya is also among the top best airlines in Russia. Over the past year, more than 7 million people used the services of this carrier to various destinations throughout the country and abroad.
The growth dynamics of air tickets sold was more than 40% compared to previous years. The airline is based in St. Petersburg and operates most of its flights from Pulkovo. Flights with numbers starting with 6 are operated on behalf of Aeroflot, and those starting with 5 are operated under the name of Rossiya.
Utair
The Russian airline Utair has been flying since the mid-20th century and is also considered one of the best airlines in Russia. In addition to the airliner fleet of more than 60 aircraft, it also has a fleet of helicopters.
Over the past year, the airline transported more than 5 million people, increasing its turnover by approximately 19%. Based at Moscow Vnukovo Airport.
"Ural Airlines"
The air carrier has been operating regular and charter flights on the Russian aviation market for more than 20 years. Operating flights within and outside the country, the company transported more than 5 million people last year. It has a wide fleet of aircraft, which are mainly Airbuses, and is one of the five best airlines in Russia.
The company is based in Koltsovo in Yekaterinburg and Moscow Domodedovo Airport and operates flights to more than 200 destinations. A few years ago, she opened her own pilot training simulator.
Summarizing
In this case, it is difficult to answer the question of which airline is the best in Russia. The answer may be subjective. After all, every person has their own preferences and tastes. You will have to decide which air carrier you prefer, based on your personal wishes and experience.
Most aircraft flying in Russia are no older than their counterparts used abroad. However, 17.7% of the aircraft fleet are old aircraft, many of which have reached the end of their service life and have problems with parts. Another disadvantage of the domestic market is problems with service and supervision, which is why almost the entire Russian fleet is registered in third countries
Photo: Transport-Photo Images
It became biggest disaster in history Russian aviation. The day after the tragedy of the Kogalymavia (Metrojet) Airbus 321, which killed 224 people, Russian investigators opened two criminal cases under the articles “provision of services that do not meet safety requirements” and “violation of flight safety rules or preparation for them.” . Searches took place at the carrier's office, Domodedovo, and Samara airport, where the plane was refueling. State Duma deputies immediately came out in favor of banning the operation of aircraft over 15 years old (Airbus Kogalymavia was 18 years old) and revoking the licenses of carrier companies with a small number of aircraft. The head of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs, Alexei Pushkov, said that it leads to plane crashes. Deputies put forward similar initiatives after the crash of a 23-year-old Boeing 737 in Kazan on October 17, 2013. Then, as now, the public ignored statements from airlines and industry experts who argued that an airplane is not a machine and 20 years of operation is not such a long time for it.
Both planes - Boeing in Kazan and Airbus over Sinai - according to the latest data, were operational. The Kazan disaster, as the commission of inquiry decided, was an Egyptian one - three weeks later it was recognized as a terrorist attack. Suspicions about the poor condition of aircraft flying in Russia, however, have not evaporated. RBC analyzed the fleet of Russian companies operating scheduled and charter passenger flights and found out whether suspicions about its wear and tear were justified.
What we thought
The basis was the list of valid airworthiness certificates of the Federal Air Transport Agency as of October 22, 2015 (that is, aircraft that are allowed to fly in Russia), data from the official websites of carriers and Internet resources airfleets.com, russianplanes.net and flightradar24.com. We excluded from the complete list small aircraft (private aircraft), local airline aircraft (practical range less than 1000 km, mainly An-2), helicopters, business jets, as well as all aircraft not used to transport passengers - for example, cargo and agricultural. The sample also did not include aircraft that are not used to transport passengers for commercial purposes: for example, the fleet of the Air Force, the Ministry of Emergency Situations and the special detachment for transporting top officials (SLO Rossiya), as well as aircraft belonging to aircraft manufacturing plants. The lists we received with detailed information about each aircraft were sent to all operating airlines with a request to confirm the accuracy of the data we collected. All responses were taken into account in the analysis results.
Our statistics also included aircraft from the second largest Russian airline, Transaero. was accepted on October 1, and on October 26 the company lost its air operator certificate and ceased operations. The Transaero fleet is in the process of being returned to the lessors: several dozen cars can be received by Aeroflot, which received part of the airline’s routes, the rest will be sold on the market or written off. Taking into account the entire Transaero fleet in the sample (according to open data as of October, this is 122 aircraft), we were guided by the fact that most of it could go to other Russian operators, and the composition of the fleet reflects the economic model of the largest private Russian carrier.
What will happen to the huge fleet of Transaero, the second carrier after Aeroflot in terms of the number of aircraft (one of them is in the photo), is still unclear (Photo: TASS)
Which models do you choose?
The most popular family in Russia is the medium-haul Airbus 320 (A320, A319 and A321): 249 such aircraft are allowed to fly in the country. In second place with 203 aircraft is the family of medium-haul Boeing 737, the flights of which were recently asked to be suspended by the Interstate Aviation Committee (IAC).
According to our data, there are only 130 long-haul aircraft in Russia, of which 76.6% are Boeing 747, 767 and 777 models.
There is no definition of a medium-haul aircraft in Russian legislation. In the world, it is customary to classify vehicles with a flight range of over 2.5 thousand km into this category. Long-range vehicles in Russia are considered to be those with a flight range of more than 8 thousand km.
Airbus became the leader among aircraft flying on medium-haul routes in Russia not so long ago. The Big Four companies - Aeroflot, S7, UTair, Transaero - divided their preferences in two in 2013, explains Andrei Kramarenko, a researcher at the Institute of Transport Economics and Transport Policy at the Higher School of Economics. The first two chose Airbus, the second - Boeing. Now Transaero has stopped flying, and UTair has significantly reduced its fleet.
Two competing aircraft makers account for most of the world's aircraft fleets. According to the international organization Center for Aviation (CAPA, Australia) for April 2013, of all aircraft operated in the world, 39.7% are Boeing aircraft and 28.7% are Airbus. Russia is no exception. The aircraft of the two companies occupy 61.7% of the Russian fleet, 14.3% - other foreign aircraft (Embraer, Bombardier, De Havilland Canada, Let, ATR).
Domestic aircraft account for only 24% of the total fleet of Russian carriers. Moreover, for modern models - An-148, Tu-204, Tu-214 and Sukhoi Superjet - only 6.3%. The remaining 17.7% are old modifications of An, Tu and Yak, most of which flew in the USSR. “But the share of these cars in the volume of passenger traffic is less than 5%,” adds Alexander Fridlyand, a professor at the Moscow State Technical University of Civil Aviation.
In terms of quantity, Sukhoi Superjet is the leader among modern Russian models: domestic airlines have 39 such aircraft. “The Sukhoi Superjet has a niche, but it is very narrow due to its size (capacity - up to 100 seats. - RBC),” says Friedland. According to him, for local and regional routes it is large, but on main routes with good passenger traffic it is inferior to economical cars by 150-200 seats. “His niche is mainline, but weak in flow directions,” the interlocutor believes.
The An-24 has not been produced since 1979, but there are still 67 such aircraft in the fleet of Russian companies (Photo: Transport-Photo Images)
Of the Soviet aircraft, the An-24 is the largest in the airline fleet - 67 aircraft. A turboprop passenger aircraft for short and medium-haul routes was developed by the Antonov Design Bureau (KB) in the late 1950s. Maximum capacity is up to 52 passengers. It is operated mainly by Russian regional companies (RBC considers such companies not to operate long-haul flights, flights through the capital's air hub and those not based in Moscow and St. Petersburg). “The An-24 is the only aircraft in the world of this class that lands on the ground, on compacted snow or ice,” recalls Oleg Smirnov, Honored Pilot of the USSR, President of the Air Transport Infrastructure Development Fund. — He flew all over airspace The USSR is practically irreplaceable even in the current conditions in the Far North.”
Now the An-24 continues to be used by companies based in the north: Polar Airlines, Yakutia, Chukotavia. For now, it is impossible to replace it en masse with foreign models. Firstly, planes of foreign brands that could land at airfields in these regions accommodate fewer passengers, explains Kramarenko. In addition, technical documentation for them is available at English language, which is not owned by all An-24 pilots and personnel. However, during 2012-2013, Yakutia leased five Bombardier Dash 8 aircraft with a capacity of 70 to 80 seats. In addition to Bombardier, Aeroflot's subsidiary, the Far Eastern airline Aurora, flies Canadian De Havilland Canada 6 Twin Otter. Most likely, in the coming years all An-24s will be replaced foreign cars, “because they will exhaust their service life and it will become extremely difficult and expensive to maintain their airworthiness,” predicts Dmitry Mirgorodsky, partner of the consulting company Concuros, former vice-president of Sukhoi Civil Aircraft. There is no replacement for them with domestic analogues.
The second most popular among Soviet aircraft is the Yak-42: there are 33 such aircraft in the fleet of Russian airlines. However, several of them are in storage: some are waiting for parts to be replaced, some will no longer fly into the air. The cars are part of the fleets of Gazpromavia, Grozny Avia, Izhavia, and Saratov Airlines. The latter company began flying Brazilian Embraer 190s two years ago.
How old are planes in Russia?
As the study showed, on average in Russia the age of foreign models is less than their service life, while our aircraft are often older. According to Andrey Sharypov, head of the civil aviation vessel certification department of the State Research Institute of Civil Aviation, for foreign aircraft it is about 40-60 thousand hours, that is, 30 years. For the Soviets it was less - about 20 years. The manufacturer can extend the service life individually for each vessel.
For example, the average age of the Boeing 737 Classic generation (modifications 300, 400, 500) in Russia is 20.2 years. Generations Boeing 737 Next Generation (modifications 600, 700, 800, 900) - 9.1 years. Modifications of Airbus 320 - 7.5 years, A319 - 11.9 years (see infographic). These figures are not significantly different from the world average. The Dutch airline KLM, according to planespotters.net, Boeing New Generation flies on average at the age of 9.3 years. The American low-cost airline Southwest Airlines, according to USA Today and the airfleets.net portal, is 9.7 years old. The Boeing 737 Classic aircraft (modifications 300, 400 and 500) of this airline are on average more than 22 years old.
As for Airbus, the A320 fleet of the German Germanwings is 23 years old. The American Delta, which flies with Aeroflot in the Skyteam alliance, has a lifespan of 20.7 years. Delta's A319 aircraft are 13.8 years old.
The oldest model of aircraft flying in Russia is the An-24. On average they are 42.1 years old. The average age of another Soviet aircraft still in operation, the Yak-42, is 24.7 years.
Soviet aircraft and modern Russian ones (with the exception of Sukhoi Superjet), unlike foreign ones, have problems with parts. Mass production of such machines has been stopped, so you have to order components individually, which costs several times more, says Sergei Koval, deputy head of the monitoring and authentication department of the Civil Aviation Research Institute. As a result, parts with forged documents are sometimes installed on Soviet cars. According to Koval’s estimates, the market now contains up to 8% of illegal parts, and from 2001 to 2015, 50 serious incidents occurred due to problems with parts (incidents with airplanes and helicopters are taken into account).
What happened to Soviet design bureaus
The Saratov Aviation Plant, which produced Yak aircraft, went bankrupt and was completely liquidated. The design bureaus that developed Soviet aircraft—the Tupolev Design Bureau and the Yakovlev Design Bureau (now part of the United Aircraft Corporation)—continue to exist mainly by supporting the remaining aircraft in service, Koval says. The Antonov Design Bureau (now the Antonov state enterprise) is located in Ukraine.
The age of the aircraft, according to professionals, does not affect its technical condition and airworthiness. “As a ship commander, I don’t ask: will you give me an old plane or will I fly on a new one? This doesn’t interest me at all,” explains Smirnov. The main thing is whether the aircraft underwent maintenance and repairs on time throughout its life. In addition, every part of the aircraft has its own resources. By that time, says Smirnov, “as the aircraft turns 17 years old, these parts can be replaced several times.”
The study found that 58.7% of aircraft in the Russian fleet had only one or two operators. And more than ten air carriers that replaced each other - only 3% of boards are in baggage. Moreover, in many cases, two of the same companies used aircraft in turns. This, for example, was the case with the Izhavia airline’s Yak-42: according to data from airfleets.net, if we take into account alternating carriers, it changed 20 operators in 28 and a half years. According to Smirnov, professionals are distrustful of an aircraft that has previously flown “in countries with high humidity, for example in Africa.” However, the lessor and the owner are obliged to put such a car in order. In this regard, the lessor, and not the previous operator, is important for the technical condition of the aircraft, the expert believes.
As a rule, carriers abandon aircraft for economic reasons, and not because of the end of its life, according to a study by leasing company Avalon (offices in the USA, Ireland, Dubai, Singapore and China). In Russia, foreign and new domestic aircraft models cease to be used at the age of 20-23, says HSE researcher Kramarenko. Global figures, according to Avalon research, are similar.
Airline age preferences
Russian airlines with the oldest fleet use Soviet aircraft. Among carriers with ten or more aircraft, the oldest fleet—41.2 years—has the Turukhan company, part of the UTair group. It mainly operates custom flights, including for mining companies. But Turukhan also has regular transportation, so its aircraft were included in our study.
In total, there are 16 companies in Russia operating aircraft over 25 years old for regular and charter transportation (see table).
The youngest park is at Pobeda, a subsidiary of Aeroflot that recently started operating. Its sides are only a year old. Aeroflot’s average fleet age, according to RBC calculations, is 4.6 years. The planes of Transaero, which stopped flying, were on average 18.6 years old (the S7 fleet was 9.2 years old, and UTair was 14 years old). In 2005-2008, many Russian airlines, including the Big Four carriers, when fuel prices went up, massively renewed their fleet, preferring aircraft with lower fuel consumption. In particular, this explains the rather young fleet of foreign aircraft in Russia, notes Fridland.
On April 1, 2001, regulations of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) came into force, establishing reduced engine noise levels for aircraft flying in Europe. Almost all Soviet and Russian planes of that time: Tu-134, Tu-154B, Tu-154M, Il-62, Il-86. Thus, airlines that actively flew to Europe and transited over European countries were forced to replace their old noisy machines with new imported ones.
Low-cost airline Pobeda is the youngest Russian air carrier with the youngest park. Their Boeing is only a year old on average (Photo: TASS)
There is also a significant difference between the average age of aircraft from different companies abroad. According to a Bloomberg rating compiled in January 2013, the American Delta has an average age of 15.8 years, Southwest Airlines - 14.7, Aeromexico - 15.2, Lufthansa - 12.4, Air France - 11.5, Ryanair - five years.
Each company chooses for itself what is more cost-effective for it: a new or older aircraft, Mirgorodsky emphasizes. For example, purchasing a new Boeing 737-800 will cost approximately $48-55 million. The same ten-year-old model will already cost $16-18 million, says Alexander Kochetkov, head of the leasing company Gold"nsky Leasing. But old aircraft also require maintenance costs. Not all companies can afford to pay such sums at a time - they have to lease the machines.In Russia, according to estimates by the company Ilyushin Finance Co., at least 80% of the aircraft in use are leased.
This is exactly what the largest market player, Aeroflot, is doing, intending to enter the top 20 global air carriers in terms of revenue and passenger traffic by 2025. For the sake of this goal, the airline has been not only increasing but also refreshing its fleet for several years, General Director Vitaly Savelyev has repeatedly said in his interviews. “It’s difficult to compete on the global market with an old aircraft,” Mirgorodsky explains the strategy. Aeroflot also gives older models to its subsidiaries - Aurora Airlines, Orenburg Airlines, Donavia, and Rossiya.
But many companies don’t even have enough money to lease new aircraft. Transaero, for example, dreamed of ousting a state-owned competitor due to expensive debt financing, as it itself admitted in its financial statements, was expanding its fleet with cheap foreign and new vehicles, Vedomosti wrote. After the devaluation of the ruble at the end of last year, leasing for Russian companies has become significantly more expensive, even for old aircraft (leasing payments are made in foreign currency. - RBC), adds Mirgorodsky. According to Kochetkov’s estimates, leasing a new Boeing 737-800 costs an average of $4.2 million per year, and about $2 million for a ten-year one.
