Category Archives: Aeroflot Russian Airlines

Aeroflot gets permission to operate the new Boeing 777-300 ER

Aeroflot Russian Airlines (Moscow) finally got the permission for its new long-haul Boeing 777-30 0ER aircraft and immediately puts the new type into revenue service. The airline received the long awaited green light from the Russian aviation authorities on February 4, 2013.

The new type had been planned to be introduced on the Moscow-Bangkok route on February 1, 2013.

Copyright Photo: Joe G. Walker. The pictured Boeing 777=3M0 ER VP-BGB (msn 41679) at Paine Field in Everett is the first of the type for Aeroflot.

Aeroflot:

Aeroflot delays the introduction of its first new Boeing 777-300 ER to Bangkok

Aeroflot Russian Airlines (Moscow) is ready to be a Boeing 777 operator again (it previously operated the 777-200). However the Russian flag carrier has delayed the introduction of its first new Boeing 777-300 ER on the Moscow-Bangkok route. The pictured 777-3M0 ER VP-BGB (msn 41679) was handed over to the carrier on January 30. Aeroflot is blaming the delay on the delay of Interstate Aviation Committee (IAC) to certify the new type in Russia. The airline issued the following statement:

“On January 30, 2013, after completing all the necessary formalities Aeroflot took delivery of new Boeing 777-300 ER at Seattle manufacturing plant.

According to the statement of the Federal Air Transport Agency of Russia to the mass media, Aeroflot will not get the permission of the Russian aviation authority to start the commercial exploitation of the plane, because until now the Interstate Aviation Committee (IAC) has not certified Boeing 777-300 ER type aircraft.

Due to this situation Aeroflot has to postpone the launch of the first commercial flight of this aircraft on Moscow-Bangkok route initially planned for February 1, 2013.

Instead of flying on Boeing 777-300 ER Aeroflot will provide services to this destination on Boeing 767-300 and Airbus A330. The passengers on Moscow-Bangkok route, who bought tickets for new Comfort class will be provided with business class tickets.

In order to start the exploitation of the airliner from the mentioned date, Aeroflot has timely completed all the necessary formalities stipulated by the Russian legislation, and therefore the air company will take measures to compensate the caused losses.”

Copyright Photo: Joe G. Walker. VP-BGB is pictured at a wet Everett (Paine Field) prior to the hand over. VP-BGB is seen getting ready to depart on a test flight. The wide-body airliner is named “M. Kutuzov”. According to Wikipedia, “Mikhail Illarionovich Golenishchev-Kutuzov (1745-1813) was a Field Marshal of the Russian Empire. He served as one of the finest military officers and diplomats of Russia under the reign of three Romanov Tsars: Catherine II, Paul I and Alexander I. His military career was closely associated with the rising period of Russia from the end of the 18th century to the beginning of the 19th century. Kutuzov contributed much to the military history of Russia and is considered to have been one of the best Russian generals under the reign of Catherine II.”

Aeroflot Russian Airlines:

Aeroflot to offer Wi-Fi service on 26 long-haul aircraft this year

Aeroflot Russian Airlines (Moscow) is introducing Wi-Fi Internet access on board of its long-haul aircraft for 2013, this service will be available on 26 long-haul airplanes by the end of the year.

22 Airbus 330 and 4 Boeing 777 airliners will be connected to Internet through satellite-based onboard Wi-Fi. 12 Airbus A330 and three Boeing 777 will be available in the first quarter.

Aeroflot is developing its inflight connectivity program in partnership with OnAir — the global inflight connectivity services provider, using Inmarsat’s satellite networks. OnAir Company was incorporated in 2005 and is owned by SITA, the global IT solutions provider to the air transport world and Airbus aircraft manufacturer.

This Wi-Fi Internet access system has been successfully tested in the sky and is already available on five Airbus A330 aircraft:

1. VQ-BPI “L.Yashin”

2. VQ-BPK “I.Kulibin”

3. VP-BDD “A.Mojaiskiy”

4. VP-BDE “L.Kantorovich”

5. VQ-BPJ “V.Brumel”

Aeroflot names its aircraft after famous Russians.

Aeroflot was the first Russian company to provide its passengers with on board mobile connection and Internet access.

The “On Board Internet” program has being implemented by Aeroflot since 2010.

Copyright Photo: Ton Jochems. Airbus A330-343X VQ-BEK (msn 1077) taxies at the popular Russian holiday destination of Antalya, Turkey.

Aeroflot Russian Airlines:

Aeroflot to have an Airbus A320 1956 retrojet in 2013

Aeroflot Russian Airlines (Moscow) will introduce an Airbus A320 retrojet in 2013 painted in the 1956 Tupolev Tu-104 livery. The company has issued the following statement:

On November 12, 2012 the open Internet voting for Aeroflot new aircraft retro livery was finished. Celebrating the company’s 90-th Anniversary, an airplane in a heritage livery will join the Aeroflot fleet in 2013.

In the middle of this summer Aeroflot addressed to its passengers through social networks, asking about their vision of expected Aeroflot jubilee events. As a result, more than 45 per cent of our flyers wished to see one of the national carrier’s aircraft in a retro livery.

So, the voting in Aeroflot official Facebook group had begun. There were four candidates representing four different types of painting historically worn by Aeroflot airplanes. More than 2500 passengers participated in the voting process, and the livery of one of the first world’s jet airliners – Tupolev Tu-104 (appeared in 1956) was declared a winner.

During the voting Aeroflot received from its passengers a lot of useful recommendations and remarks, which will allow updating and improving of the color scheme of the livery.

One of the brand new A320 aircraft to make part of Aeroflot fleet in the first middle of 2013 will wear a retro livery. The painting itself will be made at the Airbus manufacturing plant.

Top Image: Aeroflot.

Bottom Copyright Photo: Jacques Guillem Collection. Tupolev Tu-104B CCCP-42507 (msn 021905) in the original 1956 livery taxies away from the departure gate at Le Bourget Airport in Paris. Aeroflot introduced the new jet type on September 15, 1956 on the Moscow-Omsk-Irkutsk route. This was the world’s first sustained jet airline service. Aeroflot commenced international flights with the Tu-104 on October 12, 1956 from Moscow to Prague.

Aeroflot Russian Airlines:

Aeroflot reports an audited $491 million net profit in 2011

Aeroflot Russian Airlines (Moscow) reported an audited net profit of $491 million.

Aeroflot:

Aeroflot’s 2011 net profit doubles to $491 million

Aeroflot Russian Airlines (Moscow) reported its net profit for 2011 doubled to $491 million according to this report by Reuters.

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Aeroflot to return to Miami on October 28

Aeroflot Russian Airlines (Moscow) will return to Miami and the Moscow (Sheremetyevo)-MIA route on October 28. The route will be operated with Airbus A330-200s three days a week per Airline Route.

Aeroflot Slide Show: CLICK HERE

Aeroflot opens up new domestic and international summer routes

Aeroflot Russian Airlines (Moscow) on March 25 introduced its summer schedule. The airline launched services to new destinations as Guangzhou (China)- three flights a week, Krakow (Poland) – four weekly flights, Stuttgart (Germany), Vilnius (Lithuania), Dnepropetrovsk, Donetsk, Odessa, and Kharkov (Ukraine) – daily flights. One flight a day will also be flown from Moscow to the Russian cities of Nizhnekamsk, Novy Urengoy, Orenburg, and Tomsk.

Hot New Photos Slide Show: CLICK HERE

Aeroflot introduces its second SkyTeam logojet

RA-89005 Sky Team Livery SuperJet, originally uploaded by foo_fighter_spotting.

Aeroflot Russian Airlines (Moscow) on February 28, 2012 accepted this new Sukhoi Superjet 100-95B registered as RA-89005 (msn 95013). This is the sixth Sukhoi SuperJet 100 (SSJ-100). The aircraft features the livery of SkyTeam, the second largest airline alliance.

Aeroflot is a full-fledged member of SkyTeam since 2006, and following its rules the carrier must have at least two aircraft painted in the SkyTeam livery.

By 2014 each alliance member will be required to have at least three percent of their fleet painted in the SkyTeam livery.

The first aircraft in the Aeroflot fleet in the SkyTeam livery is А330-300 (VQ-BCQ) which has flown since 2009. The pictured SSJ-100 is the first Russian-built aircraft with the SkyTeam paint scheme.

Sukhoi SuperJet 100 RA-95013 was delivered to Aeroflot under lease agreement with VEB Leasing Company. The airliner seats 87 passengers in two-class layout (12 seats in business class and 75 in economy class).

Aeroflot flies its short-range Sukhoi SuperJet 100s to domestic and international destinations such as St. Petersburg, Kazan, Nizhny Novgorod, Ufa, Yekaterinburg, Astrakhan, Chelyabinsk, Perm, Volgograd, Anapa, Minsk, Oslo, Budapest and Samara.

Aeroflot’s fleet will eventually have 30 SSJ-100s.

The Sukhoi Superjet 100 is produced by CJSC Sukhoi Civil Aircraft in partnership with Alenia Aermacchi. The Superjet 100 made its first flight on May 19, 2008. In February 2011 the SSJ-100 was certified by the aviation register of the Interstate Aviation Committee and in February 2012 by European Aviation Safety Agency.

Top Copyright Photo: Vasily Kuznetsov. RA89005 arrives at its Moscow (Sheremetyevo) base.

Aeroflot Slide Show: CLICK HERE

Bottom Copyright Photo: Aeroflot.

Aeroflot’s fleet to more than double by the end of 2014

Aeroflot Russian Airlines’ (Moscow) board of directors has approved the company’s plans to increase the fleet size from the current 114 aircraft to 255 aircraft by the end of 2014 according to Radio Free Europe.

Read the full report: CLICK HERE