Air travel has become an integral part of everyday life for many people. Business trips to different parts of the country and abroad are always associated with the purchase of air tickets, during which everyone tries not only to find a favorable price offer, but also to fly with a reliable air carrier.
Especially for you, we have compiled a list of Russian airlines in 2020, ranking them according to the degree of reliability and accident-free operation in accordance with the research of the German agency Jacdec, the European organization EASA and the international organizations IOSA and ICAO.
When calculating the aviation safety index, data on disasters over the past 30 years are taken into account, as well as passenger traffic, the number of victims and lost airliners.
When compiling the list, we also took into account the level of service on board and the average age of Russian airlines. The rating statistics by the number of liners and their average age is based on March 2016 data.
Rating of Russian airlines in terms of flight reliability and safety 2020
- Aeroflot
- Russia
- Ural Airlines
- UTair
- Orenburg Airlines
- Red Wings
Aeroflot
The first place in the rating by all indicators is rightfully occupied by Aeroflot, the largest air carrier in the Russian Federation, which has the largest fleet in Europe. This is the only domestic company that appears in the prestigious Jacdec rating, which means that it is considered by foreign experts to be more reliable than others in Russia. In addition, Aeroflot has repeatedly received the honorary title of the best airline in Eastern Europe.
The advantages of the company are different models of aircraft for every taste, well-trained staff, well-thought-out bonus programs and its own Situation Center, created to quickly solve problem situations. Aeroflot includes Rossiya, Transaero and Pobeda airlines.
- Year of foundation - 1923.
- Aircraft in the fleet: 170 units.
- Average age of airliners: 4.5 years.
Before the rebranding, the company was named "Siberia". If we consider reliability, then S7 is among the top three recognized leaders in this indicator. In 2015, this well-known air carrier received an award from National Geographic as the best Russian airline, and ranks 95th in the S7 world ranking.
A significant advantage of the company is profitable bonus program, thanks to which regular passengers can accumulate bonuses and subsequently spend them on paying part of the cost of tickets. A feature of S7 is convenient direct flights to Asia.
- Year of foundation - 1957.
- Aircraft in the fleet: 58 units.
- Average age of airliners: 10 years.
In 2015, Rossiya Airlines entered the TOP-10 air carriers of our country in terms of flight safety. In 2014, Rossiya was recognized as the best in the field of regional routes, and in 2014 it became the fifth largest domestic airline. In terms of punctuality, Rossiya was included in the rating of top European companies.
The main advantage of Rossiya is its democratic price policy and impeccable cleanliness on board. Passengers are dissatisfied only with airliners, whose age in most cases exceeds 10 years.
- Year of foundation - 1992.
- Aircraft in the fleet: 23 units.
- Average age of airliners: 13.6 years.
Ural Airlines
The planes of one of the largest domestic air transportation companies in 2014 were recognized as the most reliable, and the air carrier itself received three awards at once, including as the best on domestic routes.
If we consider the volume passenger traffic in Russia, Ural Airlines takes an honorable third place. A distinctive feature of the airline is the availability of a special training room for pilots, which has analogues only abroad.
- Year of foundation - 1993.
- Aircraft in the fleet: 35 units.
- Average age of airliners: 12.7 years.
This company is in the TOP-5 in Russia in terms of passenger traffic. In 2014, UTair received a prestigious award as the best passenger carrier on regional routes.
- Year of foundation - 1991.
- Aircraft in the fleet: 66 units.
- Average age of airliners: 14.5 years.
The main sphere of presence of this air carrier is the Tyumen region and the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug. The fact that the aircraft used by the company is recognized as safe and reliable reflects the certificate of the International Association air transport, which Yamal received in 2013. A year later, the carrier was recognized as the best airline in the field of passenger transportation and the best helicopter operator.
The advantages of the Yamal company are flights to hard-to-reach settlements and regular expansion of the route grid. Passengers are dissatisfied with the lack of punctuality of pilots.
- Year of foundation - 1997.
- Aircraft in the fleet: 24 units.
- Average age of airliners: 14.1 years.
Orenburg Airlines
This air carrier is a subsidiary of the Russian Aeroflot. In 2013, Orenburg Airlines received national recognition by being awarded the Airline of the Year award according to passengers.
- Year of foundation - 1992.
- Aircraft in the fleet: 19 units.
- Average age of airliners: 11 years.
The only aviation company in the Russian Federation that operates domestic Tu-204 and Sukhoi Superjet 100 airliners.
- Year of foundation - 1999.
- Aircraft in the park: 13 units.
- Average age of airliners: 6.6 years.
So, now you know the best airlines in Russia 2020, which made it to our list due to their excellent level of service, impressive volume passenger air transportation, a large number safe technically serviceable modern aircraft, punctuality and favorable price offers. When looking for a reliable air carrier, try to choose from these companies in order to be sure of the safety and comfort of your upcoming flight.
What, first of all, does a passenger want to receive from an air carrier? It is comfort, reliability and safety. Also, he will not refuse an acceptable level of service and, of course, he will not be against the punctuality of the company's employees: it is unlikely that any of us will like long flight delays.
Based on these airline customer requests, we have compiled a rating of the best Russian airlines, which is based on the expert opinion of several independent consulting agencies and the opinion of passengers who have already used the services of carriers.
TOP 10: The best airlines in Russia rating for 2020
In order for the rating to be the most truthful and versatile, we used mixed statistics in the article. Firstly, this is a direct customer survey, and secondly, an expert assessment. Employees of some consulting agencies, under the guise of "mystery passengers", personal experience checked the level of service: the cost of tickets, the quality of food on board the aircraft, the general level of service and the time of delays during departures (if any). The total score was summarized by us in the column "Overall rating" of our table.
| Place | Name | Overall rating | Positive customer references |
|---|---|---|---|
| π 10 | β Nordavia | β 3.21 out of 5 | π 40 % |
| π 9 | β Red Wings Airlines | β 3.40 out of 5 | π 37 % |
| π 8 | β Nordwind Airlines | β 3.42 out of 5 | π 45 % |
| π 7 | β Utair | β 3.48 out of 5 | π 44 % |
| π 6 | β Metrojet | β 3.64 out of 5 | π 67 % |
| π 5 | β Aeroflot | β 3.79 out of 5 | π 55 % |
| π 4 | β S7 Airlines | β 3.84 out of 5 | π 58 % |
| π 3 | β Russia | β 3.86 out of 5 | π 62 % |
| π 2 | β Yamal | β 4.14 out of 5 | π 72 % |
| π 1 | β I-Fly | β 3.97 out of 5 | π 76 % |
10th place. "Nordavia"
Regional carrier based in Arkhangelsk. Specializing in transportation within Russian Federation, but there are also foreign flights - to Norway. Due to weather specifics, the number of flights in winter is much less than in summer. The aircraft fleet is quite "old", domestic aircraft are used to serve close regional flights: AN-24
π« Where are the routes?
In 14 largest Russian regional centers, also in Troms (Norway).
Departure without delay: 2.63
Food quality: 3.16
Service level on board: 3.53
9th place. Red Wings Airlines
The company is one of the fifteen largest air carriers in Russia. It has been on the market for eighteen years, in 2009 it went through a rebranding, after which it is known under its current name. It is considered one of the main tourist charter carriers. Most of the aircraft fleet are domestic aircraft.
π« Where are the routes?
Foreign charter flights on the most popular tourist routes from Moscow, St. Petersburg and several more regional centers.
β Evaluation issued by the SKYTRAX agency
Departure without delay: 3, 08
Food quality: 3.2
Service level on board: 3.5
8th place. Nordwind Airlines
Another charter passenger carrier offering charter flights to Europe, to the Mediterranean countries, as well as to Asian countries. The aircraft fleet is based in Moscow and consists of 24 Airbus and Boeing aircraft. Actively upgrades and buys new aircraft, some of them were purchased this year.
π« Where are the routes?
On tourist routes from Moscow: Europe, India, Thailand, countries of the Arabian Peninsula, Egypt.
β Evaluation issued by the SKYTRAX agency
Departure without delay: 3.46
Food quality: 2.97
Service level on board: 3.65
7th place. Utair
A company with partial foreign capital, specializing in aviation and helicopter transportation. The main ports of registry are located in Tyumen and Moscow. It carries out not only charter, but also regular flights: every day, the company's liners make about three hundred flights. Over the past two years, more than 17 million passengers have been transported on its aircraft.
π« Where are the routes?
Domestic regional flights, foreign flights on tourist routes to the countries of Europe, Africa, Asia.
β Evaluation issued by the SKYTRAX agency
Departure without delay: 3.32
Food quality: 3.18
Service level on board: 3.83
6th place. "Metrojet"
The main activity of the air carrier is charter flights on most tourist routes countries of Europe. Since 2012 has been working closely with a major German travel company, therefore, part of the flights of the liners are carried out under the brand of the company "TUI".
π« Where are the routes?
EU countries (Spain, France, Italy, Bulgaria, Austria), also to Egypt and Turkey.
β Evaluation issued by the SKYTRAX agency
Departure without delay: 3.88
Food quality: 3.69
Service level on board: 4.07
5th place. Aeroflot
The largest air carrier in Russia. The air fleet reads almost 200 liners, which includes aircraft of both domestic and foreign production. It is regularly updated, the average age of aircraft is 4.3 years. Routes are laid to 51 countries of the world. The attitude of clients is quite negative, although, according to many consulting companies, the level of service is at an acceptable level.
π« Where are the routes?
Internal regional routes to all regional centers, all European countries, most Asian countries, some African and American countries.
β Evaluation issued by the SKYTRAX agency
Four stars is a very good indicator
Departure without delay: 3.72
Food quality: 3.83
Service level on board: 3.89
The SKYTRAX rating is an objective assessment of airline services from a private independent British company. The rating is five-point - from one to five stars. Among hundreds of global companies, at the moment, only a few have received 5 stars.
4th place. S7 Airlines
The former name of the company - Siberia, is engaged in regular and charter flights within Russia, and its liners also carry out regular international flights: routes are laid to 26 countries of the world. Over the past few years, more than 10 million passengers have been transported annually. The fleet consists of 70 aircraft, the average age of the liners is 10 years.
π« Where are the routes?
European countries, neighboring countries, Egypt, Turkey, Asian countries (China, Japan, South Korea)
β Evaluation issued by the SKYTRAX agency
Departure without delay: 3.89
Food quality: 3.64
Service level on board: 3.92
3rd place. "Russia"
A subsidiary of Aeroflot, based in St. Petersburg, from where most of the carrier's flights are carried out. It carries about 5 million passengers annually. Domestic flights are organized throughout the country, there are also regular flights to European countries. The fleet consists of 62 liners, the average age is 13 years.
π« Where are the routes?
European countries (France, Germany), domestic flights to most regional centers of the country.
β Evaluation issued by the SKYTRAX agency
Departure without delay: 4.02
Food quality: 3.46
Service level on board: 4.01
2nd place. "Yamal"
West Siberian air carrier with a fairly large fleet of airliners, in the amount of 60 units. The main place of registration is Salekhard, the average age of the aircraft is 11 years. Operates on 42 routes, most of which are domestic. Also engaged in charter flights to Europe and the Mediterranean.
π« Where are the routes?
Regional centers of Russia, CIS countries, Europe, UAE, Bangkok.
β Evaluation issued by the SKYTRAX agency
Departure without delay: 3.88
Food quality: 4.02
Service level on board: 4.16
1 place. "I-Fly"
The best charter carrier today according to passengers and experts. The port of registry of the fleet is Moscow. The main field of activity is charter flights on foreign tourist routes. Collaborates with the travel company "TEZ-Tour".
π« Where are the routes?
Mediterranean countries, Spain, UAE, Asian countries (China, Thailand)
β Evaluation issued by the SKYTRAX agency
Departure without delay: 4.19
Food quality: 3.81
Service level on board: 4.06
Which airline is the best to use?
The final choice depends on your preferences. For example, if your priority is safety, then try to choose companies using new airliners. These, conditionally, can be considered any aircraft under the age of 12 years (after this period they must undergo a mandatory overhaul). Also, do not forget that the smaller the company, the smaller its financial turnover, therefore, they spend less money on servicing aircraft. Additionally, before the final choice, do not be lazy and look at the statistics of accidents and incidents by airline: these data can be found on many public Internet resources.
Most of the aircraft flying in Russia are no older than their analogues used abroad. However, 17.7% of the aircraft fleet are old aircraft, many of which have exhausted their resources and have problems with parts. Another disadvantage of the domestic market is problems with service and supervision, which is why almost all Russian fleet 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, the Russian investigation opened two criminal cases under the articles βproviding services that do not meet safety requirementsβ and βviolating flight safety rules or training for themβ . The searches took place at the carrier's office, Domodedovo, Samara airport, where the aircraft was refueled. State Duma deputies immediately called for a ban on the operation of aircraft older than 15 years (Airbus Kogalymavia was 18 years old) and the deprivation of the license 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 by airlines and industry experts who argued that an aircraft is not a machine and 20 years of operation is not such a long time for it.
Both aircraft - Boeing in Kazan and Airbus over Sinai - were operational according to the latest data. The Kazan disaster, as the commission of inquiry decided, the Egyptian one, was recognized as a terrorist attack three weeks later. Suspicions of the poor condition of aircraft flying in Russia, however, have not evaporated. RBC analyzed the fleet Russian companies, performing regular and charter passenger transportation, and found out how justified the suspicions of its wear and tear.
How we thought
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 was taken as a basis. We excluded from complete list small aircraft(private jets), local airlines (operating range less than 1000 km, mainly An-2), helicopters, business jets, as well as all aircraft not used for passenger transportation, such as cargo and agricultural. The sample also did not include aircraft that are not used to transport passengers for commercial purposes: for example, the air fleet of the Air Force, the Ministry of Emergencies and the special squad for the transportation of top officials (SLO Rossiya), as well as aircraft owned by 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 correctness of the data we collected. All responses were included in the analysis results.
Our statistics also included aircraft of the second largest Russian airline, Transaero. was adopted 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 lessors: Aeroflot, which got part of the airline's routes, may receive several dozen cars, the rest will be sold on the market or written off. Taking into account the entire fleet of Transaero in the sample (according to open data as of October, this is 122 aircraft), we were guided by the fact that most of it can be transferred 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 are chosen
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 sides is the medium-haul Boeing 737 family, whose flights 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 include vehicles with a flight range of more than 2.5 thousand km into this category. Long-haul vehicles in Russia are those with a flight range of more than 8,000 km.
Not so long ago, Airbus became the leader among aircraft flying on medium-haul routes in Russia. The Big Four companies β Aeroflot, S7, UTair, Transaero β split their preferences in 2013, explains Andrey 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 flights, and UTair has significantly reduced its fleet.
Two competing aircraft manufacturers provide most of the world's aircraft fleets. According to the international organization Center for Aviation (CAPA, Australia) for April 2013, 39.7% of all ships operated in the world are Boeing aircraft and 28.7% are Airbus. Russia is no exception. Aircraft of the two companies occupy 61.7% Russian park 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 the An, Tu and Yak, most of which flew back in the USSR. βBut in the volume of passenger traffic, the share of these cars is less than 5%,β adds a professor at Moscow State Technical University civil aviation Alexander Friedland.
Sukhoi Superjet is the leader in terms of number among modern Russian models: domestic airlines have 39 such boards. RBC),β says Fridland. According to him, for local and regional routes it is large, and on main routes with good passenger traffic it is inferior to economical cars with 150-200 seats. βHis niche is the main, but weak in terms of flows directions,β the interlocutor believes.
An-24 has not been produced since 1979, but there are 67 more such aircraft in the fleet of Russian companies (Photo: Transport-Photo Images)
Of the Soviet aircraft, the An-24 airline fleet has the most - 67 aircraft. A turboprop passenger aircraft for short and medium haul lines was developed by the Antonov Design Bureau (KB) in the late 1950s. The maximum capacity is up to 52 passengers. It is operated mainly by Russian regional companies (RBC considers those who do not make long-haul flights, flights through the capital's air hub and are not based in Moscow and St. Petersburg). βAn-24 is the only aircraft in the world of this class that lands on the ground, on packed snow or on ice,β reminds Oleg Smirnov, Honored Pilot of the USSR, President of the Air Transport Infrastructure Development Fund. He flew all over airspace The USSR and in the current conditions in the Far North is practically irreplaceable.
Now the An-24 continues to be used by companies based in the north: Polar Airlines, Yakutia, Chukotavia. So far, it is impossible to replace it en masse with foreign models. First, foreign-made aircraft that could land at the airfields in these regions can accommodate fewer passengers, Kramarenko explains. In addition, the technical documentation for them is on English language, which is not owned by all pilots and personnel of the An-24. However, during 2012-2013, Yakutia leased five Bombardier Dash 8 aircraft with a capacity of 70 to 80 seats. In addition to Bombardier, Canadian De Havilland Canada 6 Twin Otters fly in the Aeroflot subsidiary of the Far Eastern airline Aurora. Most likely, in the coming years, all An-24s will be replaced by foreign aircraft, "because they run out of their resources and it will become extremely difficult and expensive to maintain their airworthiness," predicts Dmitry Mirgorodsky, a partner at the consulting company Concuros, former vice president of Sukhoi Civil Aircraft. There are no replacements for their domestic counterparts.
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 the replacement of parts, some will no longer rise into the air. Cars are included in the parks of Gazpromavia, Grozny Avia, Izhavia, Saratov Airlines. The last company started flying Brazilian Embraer 190s two years ago.
How old are airplanes in Russia
As the study showed, on average in Russia, the age of foreign models is less than their resource, while our aircraft are often older. According to Andrey Sharypov, head of the department for certification of civil aviation ships 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 resource 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 Airbus 320 - 7.5 years, A319 - 11.9 years (see infographic). These figures are not much different from the global average. The Dutch airline KLM, according to planespotters.net, Boeing New Generation on average fly at the age of 9.3 years. The American low-cost airline Southwest Airlines, according to USA Today and airfleets.net, is 9.7 years old. Boeing 737 Classic cars (modifications 300, 400 and 500) of this airline are on average over 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 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 Yak-42 aircraft still in operation is 24.7 years.
Soviet aircraft and modern Russian ones (with the exception of the Sukhoi Superjet), unlike foreign ones, have problems with details. Mass production of such machines has been stopped, so you have to order components by the piece, which costs many times more, says Sergey Koval, deputy head of the department for monitoring and verifying the authenticity of the Civil Aviation Research Institute. As a result, parts with forged documents are sometimes put on Soviet cars. According to Koval, up to 8% of illegal parts are now on the market, and from 2001 to 2015, 50 serious incidents occurred due to problems with parts (incidents with planes and helicopters are taken into account).
What happened to the Soviet design bureaus
The Saratov Aviation Plant, which produced the Yak aircraft, is bankrupt and completely liquidated. design bureaus that developed Soviet aircraft- Design Bureau Tupolev and Design Bureau Yakovlev (now part of the United Aircraft Corporation) - continue to exist mainly by escorting the remaining ships in operation, says Koval. 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. βAs a commander of a ship, I donβt ask: will you give me an old plane or will I fly on a new one, this doesnβt interest me at all,β Smirnov explains. The main thing is whether the plane passed on time throughout its life Maintenance and repairs. In addition, every detail of the aircraft has its own resources. By the time, Smirnov says, "the plane is 17 years old, these parts can be replaced several times."
The study showed that 58.7% of the aircraft in the Russian fleet had only one or two operators. And more than ten air carriers that have replaced each other - in the luggage only 3% of the boards. And in many cases, two of the same companies used the aircraft in turn. So, for example, the Izhavia aircraft had a Yak-42: according to airfleets.net, if you take into account the alternation of the same carriers, it changed 20 operators in 28 and a half years. According to Smirnov, professionals are distrustful of an aircraft that previously flew "in countries with high humidity, such as Africa." However, both 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 resource, according to a study by the leasing company Avalon (offices in the US, 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 sides, the oldest fleet - 41.2 years - belongs to the Turukhan company, which is part of the UTair group. It mainly operates charter flights, including for mining companies. But Turukhan also has regular transportation, so his aircraft were included in our study.
In total, there are 16 companies in Russia that operate aircraft older than 25 years for regular and charter flights (see table).
The youngest park is at Pobeda, which has recently started working as a subsidiary of Aeroflot. Her sides are only a year old. Aeroflot, on the other hand, has an average fleet age, according to RBC calculations, of 4.6 years. The planes of Transaero, which stopped flying, were on average 18.6 years old (the S7 fleet - 9.2 years, and UTair - 14 years). In 2005-2008, many Russian airlines, including the Big Four carriers, when fuel prices went up, massively upgraded their fleet, preferring aircraft with lower fuel consumption. In particular, this explains the rather young fleet of foreign aircraft in Russia, Friedland notes.
On April 1, 2001, the standards 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 aircraft 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 change old noisy cars to new imported ones.
Low-cost carrier Pobeda is the youngest Russian air carrier with the youngest fleet. Their Boeing is only a year on average (Photo: TASS)
There is also a significant difference between the average age of aircraft from different companies abroad. According to the 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 old aircraft, Mirgorodsky emphasizes. For example, buying a new Boeing 737-800 will cost about $48-55 million. The same ten-year-old model will already cost $16-18 million, says Alexander Kochetkov, head of the Gold "nsky Leasing leasing company. But old aircraft also require maintenance costs. Not all companies can afford to pay such amounts at a time - they have to lease cars.In Russia, according to Ilyushin Finance Co., at least 80% of aircraft in operation are leased.
This is exactly what the largest market player, Aeroflot, is doing, which is going 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 now, General Director Vitaly Savelyev repeatedly said in his interviews. βIt is difficult to compete on the world market on an old aircraft,β Mirgorodsky explains the strategy. Aeroflot also gives older models to its subsidiaries - the airlines Aurora, Orenburg Airlines, Donavia, Rossiya.
But many companies do not even have enough money to lease new aircraft. Transaero, for example, which dreamed of ousting its state competitor, due to expensive debt financing, as she herself admitted in her financial reporting, built up the fleet with cheap foreign and old cars, Vedomosti wrote. After the devaluation of the ruble at the end of last year, leasing for Russian companies has risen in price even for old aircraft (leasing payments are made in foreign currency. β 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.
Choosing one or another airline for a flight, almost everyone is based on the concept of reliability and safety. This applies to the very design of the liner, as well as the upcoming flight. According to websites that conduct safety research on flights among Russian airlines, the best airlines in Russia still hold their positions.
The air carrier market is constantly in the development stage, and passenger traffic is growing every day.
What should you pay attention to when choosing an air carrier?
In order to increase the passenger flow, many airlines hold various promotions that contribute to the provision of discounts for re-use or lower prices for air tickets. With what it can be connected and on what can be reflected?
- Customer service level.
When purchasing tickets, be sure to 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, manifests itself in the future. Even top airlines Russian prices for air tickets are distributed depending on the class chosen by the client: economy, business and first.
- Frequency of flight delays.
Sometimes it happens that some air carriers experience frequent departure delays. As a rule, this happens with charter flights. But sometimes departures are delayed for regular flights. The reasons may be different. For example, many departures in one direction, waiting in line, additional checks on the board or emergency repairs. Developed companies strictly monitor the technical condition of air transport and equipment, and also calculate the flight time in such a way as not to create flight delays, making sure that customers are delivered to their destination on time and on time.
- Service on board.
Thousands of flights are made every day, often their routes intersect. This creates a lot of competition. In order to attract customers specifically to themselves, carriers are trying to diversify Additional services offered on board. Nowadays, many people need a constant access to the Internet for work, including at height. This service has now become available among the best airlines in Russia. For an additional fee, you can be online and work on the Web during the flight.
In the case when the journey lasts more than 6 hours, passengers are given pillows and blankets. But even if the flight takes a very short time, it is still possible to ask for a pillow and a blanket.
- Meals on board.
Flights over 3 hours are already considered long flights and usually include meals on board. Depending on the class of service and the airline, the menu for passengers differs in its set. Usually, if the flight is made at night or early in the morning, a choice of juice, tea, coffee and a light snack is served, a hot dish, tea, coffee or juice with snacks is served during the day and in the evening.
- The technical condition of the liners.
Not all airlines regularly renew their aircraft fleet. Many customers still study information about the condition and number of aircraft in the fleet of the selected air carrier before the flight. As a rule, among the best airlines in Russia, the fleet is regularly updated. A new aircraft subconsciously evokes a feeling of greater reliability than a liner with a cracked skin. New aircraft have modern equipment, they are equipped with the latest developments in technology, specialized in the field of aviation. They can reach high speeds while consuming less fuel. It is known that in the fleet of low-cost airlines, as a rule, most of the liners are brand new, because less money is spent on their maintenance. This makes it possible to reduce ticket prices.
- Airfare.
For most customers, the ticket price plays a decisive role in choosing a flight. Air carriers arrange various promotions or temporarily reduce the cost of a certain direction during the off-season period. In order to attract more attention from customers, many airlines resort to such a marketing ploy as indicating next to the price of the information that there are only a few seats left at this cost.
Airlines marketing tricks
It is also noticed that if you request the same date on the same site, then initially low price is no longer displayed. In order to see cheap tickets again, you need to log in from a different ip-address. You can try just 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 top 10 airlines in Russia, the most important ones can be distinguished in terms of rating, safety and the number of flights.
"Aeroflot"
The leading position is still occupied by Aeroflot, which transported more than 20 million people over the previous year. Being one of the oldest and largest airlines in the world, it has been regularly carrying 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. Passenger traffic increased by 12% over the previous year compared to 2015. To date, the company ranks first in the ranking of the best airlines in Russia.
S7
The Siberian air carrier has been showing itself as a reliable company for many years and inspires the trust of an increasing number of customers. By communicating with major 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 identify which airline is the best in Russia in 2016, conducted on the basis of an anonymous survey, the number of reserved seats in classes with increased comfort was made by people flying for work and business purposes. Operating flights to 80 destinations in Russia and abroad, the company cooperates with partner airlines, among which there is even the world famous British Airways.
By selling combined tickets, S7 manages to reduce the cost of flights by making transfers and connecting flights. About 10 million people used the airline's flights last year.
"Russia"
As a subsidiary of Aeroflot, Rossiya is also one of the top Russian airlines. Over the past year, more than 7 million people used the services of this carrier in various directions throughout the country and abroad.
The dynamics of growth in air tickets sold amounted to more than 40% compared to previous years. The air carrier 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 that start with 5 are operated under the name of Rossiya.
Utair
The Russian airline Utair has been flying since the middle of the 20th century and is also considered one of the best airlines in Russia. In addition to the fleet of airliners, numbering more than 60 liners, it also has a fleet of helicopters.
Over the past year, the airline carried more than 5 million people, which increased its turnover by about 19%. Based at Moscow Vnukovo Airport.
"Ural Airlines"
The air carrier operates scheduled and charter flights on aviation market Russia for over 20 years. Operating flights within the country and abroad, the company transported more than 5 million people last year. It has a wide fleet of liners, 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 training simulator for pilot training and education.
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, each person has their own preferences and tastes. Which air carrier to give preference to, you will have to decide on your own based on personal wishes and experience.
Summing up the results of 2017 federal agency Air Transport published brief statistics on the work of civil aviation in the Russian Federation. The big picture for participants rating of Russian airlines in 2018 looks favorable. The air transportation market continues to develop, and almost all reliable Russian airlines included in the list showed an increase in the number of passengers and kilometers flown by an average of 15%. At the same time, the weight of the top five airlines continues to grow. If in 2017 they occupied 67.4% of the total volume, then in 2018 it is already 85%.
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Read also:, the best air carriers of the year according to Skytrax.
Opens the rating of the largest airlines in Russia Nordwind Airlines, aka "North Wind". Over the past year, the number of passengers amounted to 3.5 million people and increased by 95% compared to 2016. Passenger turnover also showed growth, increasing by 44%.
One of the largest charter carriers in Russia, which carried more than 2.2 million passengers in 2017, was called to the carpet at the Federal Air Transport Agency in the summer of 2016 due to constant long flight delays up to several tens of hours. The carrier promised to take action. In case of inability to arrange regular flights to exact time The company faces restrictions on transportation.
Azur Air was a subsidiary of UTair, but two years ago it set off on its own. In 2017, the number of passengers of the company amounted to 3.6 million people, almost 2/3 more than in 2016.
Globus is part of the S7 Group, being a subsidiary of the aviation giant Siberia, which took second place in the ranking of the best airlines. 2017 turned out to be favorable for the company - the number of passengers increased by 20.2%, amounting to 4.1 million people.
The subsidiary of Aeroflot, which took over from Dobrolet, who died as a result of UES sanctions, is positioned as a budget company. Although the first tickets for flights of the new airline were sold only two years ago, it confidently entered the top 10 Russian airlines.
The number of passengers in 2017 amounted to 4.3 million people, an increase of 5% compared to 2016. Despite his youth, the flights of "Victory" have already managed to acquire scandals. Users are dissatisfied with the policy of withholding the real price for the flight, the requirement to pay for the opportunity to sit together with families, flight delays and cases when tickets for a flight are sold more than the number of seats.
In fifth place in the ranking of Russian airlines in 2018 is Ural Airlines, which transported 7.5 million people in 2017, demonstrating an increase of 25%. In the meantime, the company requires the Federal Air Transport Agency to pay for the transportation of WWII veterans to celebrate the anniversary of the Victory in 2015. The Rosaviatsia rejected the application for payment, finding fault with the fact that it does not contain the words βincluding VATβ and other points of the same degree of importance.
The owner of the world's largest operating helicopter fleet appears to have recovered from the late 2014 crisis. In 2017, the number of passengers carried by this company amounted to 6.8 million people, an increase of 9.1% compared to 2016.
The second subsidiary of the giant Aeroflot, ranked among the top ten Russian airlines in 2018, carried more than 10.6 million people last year, posting an impressive 41.5% growth in passenger numbers, the highest of the participating airlines. At the same time, the passenger turnover increased by 55.3%.
In second place in the ranking of the largest airlines in Russia is Siberia, aka S7 Airlines, which operates flights to 83 destinations both in Russia and abroad. Most of the latter, however, are served by partner airlines. In total, 9.3 million passengers were transported in 2017.
Russians continue to fly with Aeroflot aircraft. In 2017, the company transported more than 30.5 million people, outperforming Siberia, which took second place in the rating, by more than 3 times. No wonder, because Aeroflot is the largest and oldest Russian airline, which has been carrying passengers since 1923. Although the company was included in the black sanctions list of Ukraine, this does not prevent an increase in the number of shipments.
According to such criteria as the number of passengers and passenger turnover, the company recorded an increase of 12% over the past year. By the way, Aeroflot can also be called one of the safest airlines in 2018 in Russia- not a single one happened on her lines major plane crash, considering, of course, subsidiaries and accidents caused by the actions of third parties. In the airline safety rating published in 2017 by the JACDEC auditing company, Aeroflot ranks 37th.
2017 World Airlines Safety Rating (JACDEC)
| Rank | Airline | A country | Carrier code | Safety index |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cathay Pacific Airways | China,Hong Kong | CX, CPA | 0,005 |
| 2 | Air New Zealand | New Zealand | NZ, ANZ | 0,007 |
| 3 | Hainan Airlines | China | HU, CHH | 0,009 |
| 4 | Qatar Airways | Qatar | QR, QTR | 0,009 |
| 5 | K L M | Netherlands | KL, KLM | 0,011 |
| 6 | EVA Air | Taiwan | BR,EVA | 0,012 |
| 7 | Emirates | United Arab Emirates | EK, UAE | 0,013 |
| 8 | Etihad Airways | United Arab Emirates | EY, ETD | 0,014 |
| 9 | QANTAS | Australia | QF, QFA | 0,015 |
| 10 | Japan Airlines | Japan | JL, JAL | 0,015 |
| 11 | All Nippon Airways | Japan | NH, ANA | 0,016 |
| 12 | Lufthansa | Germany | LH, DLH | 0,016 |
| 13 | TAP Portugal | Portugal | TP, TAP | 0,017 |
| 14 | Virgin Atlantic Airways | United Kingdom | VS, VIR | 0,017 |
| 15 | Delta Air Lines | USA | DL, DAL | 0,018 |
| 16 | Air Canada | Canada | AC, ACA | 0,02 |
| 17 | jetBlue Airways | USA | B6, JBU | 0,02 |
| 18 | Virgin Australia | Australia | VA, VOZ | 0,02 |
| 19 | british airways | United Kingdom | BA, B.A.W. | 0,023 |
| 20 | Air Berlin | Germany | AB, BER | 0,023 |
| 21 | WestJet Airlines | Canada | WS, WJA | 0,023 |
| 22 | Sichuan Airlines | China | 3U, CSC | 0,028 |
| 23 | Norwegian Air Shuttle | Norway | DY, NAX | 0,032 |
| 24 | Shenzhen Airlines | China | ZH, CSZ | 0,032 |
| 25 | Iberia | Spain | IB, IBE | 0,034 |
| 26 | Jetstar Airways | Australia | JQ, JST | 0,036 |
| 27 | Southwest Airlines | USA | WN, SWA | 0,037 |
| 28 | EasyJet | United Kingdom | U2, EZY | 0,037 |
| 29 | AirAsia | Malaysia | AK, AXM | 0,043 |
| 30 | Thomson Airways | United Kingdom | BY, TOM | 0,047 |
| 31 | United Airlines | USA | UA, UAL | 0,051 |
| 32 | Singapore Airlines | Singapore | SQ, SIA | 0,051 |
| 33 | China Eastern Airlines | China | MU, CES | 0,061 |
| 34 | Ryanair | Ireland | FR, RYR | 0,064 |
| 35 | Swiss | Switzerland | LX, SWR | 0,064 |
| 36 | LATAM Chile | Chile | LA, LAN | 0,095 |
| 37 | Aeroflot | Russia | SU, AFL | 0,101 |
| 38 | Jet Airways | India | 9W, JAI | 0,109 |
| 39 | Alitalia | Italy | AZ, AZA | 0,113 |
| 40 | Air India | India | AI, AIC | 0,115 |
| 58 | Garuda Indonesia | Indonesia | GA, GIA | 0,77 |
| 59 | Avianca Colombia | Colombia | AV, AVA | 0,914 |
| 60 | China Airlines | Taiwan | CI, CAL | 0,977 |
