List of Russian airlines. Major Russian airlines: rating

Schengen

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 the largest disaster in the history of 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 vehicles 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 aircraft. 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 throughout the entire airspace of 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. 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, the technical documentation for them is in English, which not all An-24 pilots and personnel speak. However, during 2012-2013, Yakutia leased five Bombardier Dash 8 aircraft with a capacity of 70 to 80 seats. Aeroflot's subsidiary, the Far Eastern airline Aurora, in addition to Bombardier, flies Canadian De Havilland Canada 6 Twin Otter. Most likely, in the coming years, all An-24s will be replaced by foreign aircraft, “since 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, 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 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—Tupolev Design Bureau and 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 was the case, for example, with the Izhavia airline’s Yak-42: according to airfleets.net, if you take into account the successive 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 scheduled 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 aircraft of that time did not fall under the new criteria: 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 carrier Pobeda is the youngest Russian air carrier with the youngest fleet. Their Boeing is only a year old on average (Photo: TASS)

There is 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 cars. In Russia, according to Ilyushin Finance Co. estimates, at least 80% of operating aircraft 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, which 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 cars, 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.

If previously only wealthy citizens could buy a plane ticket, today flights are available to almost everyone. Several decades ago in Russia, citizens did not have any questions about choosing an airline. In those days, most flights were carried out by the airline Aeroflot. Today in Russia there are a large number of airlines that operate flights both within the country and to other countries of the world. Therefore, people are often faced with the problem of choosing a reliable carrier.

When choosing, people usually evaluate an airline based on reviews. Based on reviews from passengers who have already used the services of a particular airline, a rating is compiled annually. This rating will help you choose a reliable carrier.

When compiling the list, parameters such as safety (number of flights and number of accidents), company reliability and level of service (number of canceled flights, delays, etc.) and passenger opinions were taken into account.

Below is a list of airlines that fly the most flights. These are the largest airlines in Russia, whose services are most frequently used:

Aeroflot;
S7 Airlines;
Ural Airlines;
UTair;
Russia;
North wind;
ORENAIR;
Globe;
Icarus;
Victory;
Yamal;
Royal Flight;
NordStar;
I Fly;
Aurora;
Red Wings Airlines;
Yakutia.

These airlines have outperformed others in the number of passengers carried over the past year.

Best Russian airlines list

Since the quality of service and reliability of a carrier cannot be assessed solely by the number of aircraft and passengers transported, based on the results of 2015 and new reviews left by passengers about various Russian airlines, a rating of Russian airlines was compiled. Below is a list of Russian airlines that were recognized as the best:

Aeroflot;
S7 Airlines;
Yamal;
Orenair;
Russia.

All these carriers annually occupy high positions in the ranking, constantly improving the quality of services provided and increasing the number of destinations to which flights are carried out.

Rossiya Airlines

Rossiya Airlines is one of the largest carriers in the country. For many years the company has been organizing flights. It occupies a leading position in the North-West region. In addition, according to the punctuality assessment, Rossiya is among the top 10 companies in Europe. Rossiya serves most flights from St. Petersburg. Among the main advantages of this organization are the relatively low cost of flights, high professionalism of pilots, compliance with all rules for monitoring the technical condition and maintaining cleanliness on aircraft. Rossiya receives negative reviews mainly due to the use of old aircraft.

"Orenair"

Fifth place in the ranking was taken by Orenair, which is also known as Orenburg Airlines. Orenair began its activities in 1932. The airline is among the 10 safest in Russia. It operates flights both within the country and to various European countries. Every year, Orenair increases the number of destinations to which it operates flights. Among the advantages, one should highlight the high level of professionalism of pilots and maintenance personnel. Ticket prices are relatively low. Flights, as a rule, are always on time, delays are extremely rare. Among the disadvantages, paid online registration should be highlighted.

"Yamal"

The fourth place is occupied by Yamal Airlines. For many years now it has been recognized as one of the best in the country. In almost all ratings, this company is in the top 5 leaders. Yamal is constantly increasing the number of flights, adding new destinations. In particular, this airline operates flights to hard-to-reach areas. However, flights are often delayed. Passengers also leave negative reviews related to the lack of free space in the aircraft cabin.

"S7 Airlines"

In third place is the carrier S7 Airlines, also known as Sibir. This company's fleet includes a large number of new aircraft, although it began flying flights more than 20 years ago. The high level of service and safety of flights is confirmed by the fact that S7 Airlines belongs to the Oneworld alliance. There is a bonus program for regular customers. However, all bonus points will expire if not redeemed within a year. This carrier is ideal for residents of Siberia. The company operates direct flights to Asia.

Transaero

In second place in the ranking is the carrier “Transaero”. This is one of the largest airlines in the country. Since 1991, Transaero has constantly increased its customer base, earning the trust of a large number of passengers. This is one of the fastest growing airlines. Every year new aircraft appear in the fleet of this carrier. The geography of flights is constantly expanding. Passengers have the opportunity to choose their seat on board from a large number of different classes. Some classes were introduced by the company itself. Various loyalty programs are constantly running here. You can always buy a ticket at an affordable price. Disadvantages: flights are periodically delayed. In addition, not all aircraft provide the required level of passenger comfort. Transaero airline ceased operations in October 2015.

Aeroflot

This carrier occupies a leading position among Russian airlines. This company started its activities earlier than others. It is famous for the largest aircraft fleet in Europe. Moreover, the aircraft fleet is constantly increasing. Aeroflot is a member of the international association IATA. A high level of service, qualified personnel, bonus programs are not all the advantages of Aeroflot. This carrier has its own Situation Center, thanks to which it is possible to quickly make decisions and act in critical situations. This, in turn, ensures an adequate degree of safety during flights.

Other reliable carriers

In addition to these six companies, it is worth highlighting such carriers as UTair, Red Wings, and Pskovavia. UTair is one of the largest carriers in the country. Here passengers are offered a large selection of classes. There are even classes with Internet access on board the plane. The company annually increases its fleet and the number of routes it serves.
Red Wings has been flying for over 15 years. Its fleet contains domestically produced aircraft. Customers leave a lot of positive reviews about this company.

Pskovavia is a carrier that operates flights to various cities in Russia. This airline is popular due to the fact that it provides transportation services for perishable products, animals, and dangerous goods. Pskovavia has been organizing flights since 1944.

In contact with

We present a list of the largest airlines that operate scheduled and charter flights throughout Russia and international transportation with their official websites and main airports. On airline websites you can buy a ticket, check out current promotions and special offers.

Aeroflot

Official website: aeroflot.ru

The largest and oldest Russian airline, included in the list of the oldest in the world. Performs domestic and international translations from Russia around the world. It has three subsidiary airlines: Aurora, Pobeda and Rossiya.

"Russia"

Official website: rossiya-airlines.com
Hub airport: Pulkovo (St. Petersburg)

"S7 Airlines"

Official website: s7.ru
Hub airport: Tolmachevo (Novosibirsk), Domodedovo (Moscow)

The former Siberia Airlines, founded in 1992, underwent a large-scale rebranding in 2006. Currently operates regular domestic and international flights. Owns the subsidiary airline Globus.

"UTair" (UTair)

Official website: utair.ru
Hub airport: Vnukovo (Moscow), Surgut (Surgut)

Ural Airlines

Official website: uralairlines.ru
Base and hub airports: Koltsovo (Ekaterinburg), Domodedovo (Moscow, Tolmachevo (Novosibirsk)

Carries out passenger and cargo transportation in Russia and abroad.

"Victory"

Official website: pobeda.aero
Hub airport: Vnukovo (Moscow)

Low-cost subsidiary airline of Aeroflot.

"Azur Air"

Official website: azurair.com

A Russian airline specializing in charter flights to popular resort destinations in Europe and Asia.

Nordwind Airlines

Official website: nordwindairlines.ru
Hub airport: Sheremetyevo (Moscow)

A subsidiary airline of the tour operator Pegasus Tourist, providing both regular flights and charter flights to popular destinations, including resort cities in Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa, and Central America.

"VIM-Avia" (Vim Airlines)

Official website: vim-avia.com
Hub airport: Domodedovo (Moscow)

Operates regular domestic flights throughout Russia, including the South, the Urals, Siberia and the Far East, as well as charter flights to resort destinations in Europe and Asia.

"Aurora"

Official website: flyaurora.ru
Airports: Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Vladivostok, Khabarovsk.

A subsidiary of Aeroflot. Provides domestic transfers throughout Russia (Siberia, Far East, Sakhalin region, Primorsky Krai), as well as international flights to China, Japan and South Korea.

"Pegas Fly" ("Icarus")

Official website: pegasfly.com
Hub airport: Yemelyanovo (Krasnoyarsk)

Operates part of the charter flights of the tour operator Pegas Touristik from Russian cities to popular resorts in Europe and Asia.

"NordStar"

Official website: nordstar.ru
Airports: Domodedovo (Moscow), Emelyanovo (Krasnoyarsk), Alykel (Norilsk)

Operates regular and charter flights from Krasnoyarsk and Norilsk to Russian cities and resorts in both Russia and southern Europe.

"Royal Flight"

Official website: royalflight.ru
Airports: Sheremetyevo (Moscow), Abakan.

List of 37 Russian airlines operating in 2019, which operate regular, charter and subsidized flights. The sections about airlines contain only the most important and useful information: search for air tickets, promotions, news, popular destinations, ticket and baggage rates, as well as passenger reviews.

In addition, airline contacts are indicated: telephone numbers, email, feedback forms, IATA and ICAO codes, airline alliances and mileage programs.

Aurora Airlines is a Russian regional airline based in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, part of the Aeroflot group of companies. Over the past year, Aurora Airlines transported 1.3 million passengers and took 12th place in Russia in terms of traffic volume.

Azimuth Airlines is a new private Russian airline established in Rostov-on-Don. The airline operates domestic flights to southern destinations and also connects the south and center of Russia. Azimuth plans to open flights to Europe in the near future.

Azur Air (“Azur Air”) is a Russian charter airline that operates flights to international tourist destinations from 32 cities in Russia. Azur Air is one of the 10 largest Russian airlines. The air carrier's services are used annually by 2.3 million passengers.

Alrosa Airlines is a Russian regional air carrier operating flights to Yakutia, scheduled and charter flights throughout Russia, and international charter flights to Asia, Europe and the CIS. Alrosa Airlines is a subsidiary of the diamond mining company of the same name. The airline carries about 1.08 million passengers annually.

Angara is a Russian regional airline established in 2000. Operates regular and charter flights in the Irkutsk region, Siberia and the Russian Far East. Angara is the main air carrier of the government of the Irkutsk region, and is also part of the Eastland group of companies, the largest tour operator in Eastern Siberia. It carries about 130 thousand passengers per year.

Aeroservice is a Russian regional airline established in 2010. It operates regular passenger flights to the cities of the Trans-Baikal Territory of Russia, as well as search and ambulance flights and aerial survey work. The route network consists of 13 destinations.

Aeroflot - Russian Airlines is the national air carrier of Russia: the share of flights performed is 47% domestic and 37% international. Aeroflot is a premium airline and the only one in Russia that has received 5 stars according to the prestigious SkyTrax rating. The airline has a large route network: the schedule includes 350 regular flights. The airline carries 26 million people annually.

Vologda Aviation Enterprise is a Russian regional airline founded in 1928. Performs passenger, cargo, rescue flights, as well as servicing gas and oil pipelines. The airline's route network is small, covering 5 cities.

Gazprom Avia is a Russian corporate airline established in 1995. Operates regular and charter cargo-passenger flights throughout Russia, to countries in Europe, Asia, America, Africa and Australia. Gazprom Avia also carries out business, rescue, reconnaissance and rotational transportation. The airline owns 3 Russian airports: Ostafyevo, Bovanenkovo and Yamburg. Gazprom Avia transports more than 250 thousand passengers per year.

Globus is a Russian airline established in 2008. The Globus air carrier is part of the S7 Group of companies. Operates regular and charter flights throughout Russia, to the CIS countries and Europe. The airline cooperates with travel agencies, so many flight routes depend on the tourist seasons.

Izhavia Airlines is a Russian regional state carrier operating scheduled and charter flights from Izhevsk throughout Russia and the CIS countries. The airline is owned by the government of Udmurtia. 300 thousand people use Izhavia’s services annually.

IrAero Airlines is a Russian regional air carrier that operates regular and charter flights from Irkutsk to cities in Russia, neighboring countries and China. The airline's services are used by 200 thousand passengers a year.

iFly Airlines is a Russian charter air carrier. Operates flights for tour operators Tez Tour and Tui. According to the results of last year, iFly carried 401 thousand passengers.

Komiaviatrans is a Russian regional airline established in 1998. Operates passenger, cargo, and rescue flights in the Komi Republic, as well as to major cities in Russia. The airline's route network is small and covers settlements in hard-to-reach areas. The airline owns 7 airports in the Komi Republic. Every year, 146 thousand passengers use Komiaviatrans services.

Kostroma Aviation Enterprise is a Russian regional airline founded in 1944. Operates passenger, cargo, and rescue flights in the Kostroma region. The airline's route network consists of 3 destinations, 2 of which fly to the south of Russia in the summer season.

KrasAvia Airlines is a Russian regional air carrier of the Krasnoyarsk Territory. It flies from Krasnoyarsk to the regional municipal centers of the Far North of the Krasnoyarsk Territory and the cities of the Far East, performs regular and charter flights on airplanes and helicopters. In addition, KrasAvia owns a network of airports in Siberia. About 180 thousand passengers use the services of the Krasnoyarsk airline annually.

Nordavia Airlines is a Russian regional air carrier whose majority of flights are flights between northwestern cities of Russia. Nordavia has expanded its flight map and operates flights from the northern region of the country to the southern and central regions. The airline strives to create a network of low-cost passenger transportation and adheres to a flexible pricing policy. In addition to regular flights, Nordavia operates charter flights. About 960 thousand passengers use the airline’s services annually.

Nordwind Airlines (“Nordwind”, “North Wind”) is a Russian airline specializing in direct flights to Simferopol (Crimea) from Russian cities and charter flights to America, Asia, Africa and Europe. The air carrier is one of 10 major Russian airlines. Nordwind services are used by 1.7 million passengers per year.

NordStar (“NordStar”) is a Russian airline established in 2008, one of the 15 largest airlines in Russia. The airline was called Taimyr; in 2016, a reorganization took place after which the carrier was renamed NordStar. It is the main air carrier in Siberia, mainly in the Krasnoyarsk Territory, connecting the home city of Norilsk and other settlements of the region with neighboring regions, and operates flights to hard-to-reach northern destinations. 1.4 million people use NordStar services annually.

Orenburg is a Russian regional airline established in 2013. The carrier belongs to Orenburg Airport. Operates regular passenger flights to Russian cities. The airline's route network is small, consisting of 5 destinations. In addition, the carrier operates seasonal flights to Russian resorts. 31 thousand passengers use Orenburg's services annually.

Pegas Fly Airlines, also known as Icarus Airlines, is a Russian passenger air carrier operating scheduled flights throughout Russia and charter flights abroad. The airline's base airport is located in Krasnoyarsk, with branches in Moscow and Khabarovsk. Pegas Fly airline carried 988 thousand passengers last year.

Pobeda Airlines is a Russian low-cost airline, part of the Aeroflot group of companies. Implements a low-cost carrier project: cheap tickets, short flights, new aircraft of the same model with economy class cabins, strict baggage requirements and paid services. This allows the airline to save on costs and sell plane tickets at low prices. One of Pobeda’s priorities is to increase transport accessibility of Russian cities.

Polar Airlines is a Russian regional airline established in 1997. Operates passenger, cargo, rescue and custom tourist flights in Yakutia. The route network of Polar Airlines covers more than 100 settlements of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), including remote Arctic regions. The airline serves 120 thousand passengers per year.

Red Wings Airlines is one of the most dynamically developing airlines in Russia: in four years the air carrier has more than doubled in size. Operates regular flights from Moscow to the central and southern regions of Russia and charter flights abroad. About 900,000 people use the airline’s services every year.

Rossiya Airlines is a large Russian company in the mid-price segment. Most flights operate from St. Petersburg and Moscow, the carrier’s home cities. Part of the Aeroflot group of companies, it offers passengers the Aeroflot Bonus bonus program. Over the past year, Rossiya Airlines carried 8 million passengers and took third place in the country.

Royal Flight is a Russian charter airline established in 2014. Carries out passenger transportation on behalf of major travel operators Pegas, Coral Travel and Sunmar from Russian cities abroad. 5 million passengers use Royal Flight services annually.

RusLine Airlines is a Russian regional air carrier. Operates regular and charter flights throughout Russia, to European countries, the Baltic countries, the CIS and Turkey. About 600 thousand people use the airline’s services annually.

S7 Airlines is one of the leading Russian airlines and ranks second in Russia in terms of the number of passengers carried. Most flights operate from Moscow and Novosibirsk, the carrier’s home cities. Under a single brand, S7 Airlines can operate flights with Siberia and Globus airlines, which mainly operate charter flights. Last year, 10.6 million people chose to fly with S7.

Severstal is a Russian regional airline, founded in 1998. The airline is the operator of Cherepovets airport. Provides regular and charter passenger transportation to Russian cities and abroad. The route network consists of 16 destinations, and the airline also operates seasonal flights to resorts. Severstal has repeatedly received the title of one of the most punctual airlines from Sheremetyevo and Domodedovo airports. Every year, 230 thousand passengers use the services of the Cherepovets airline.

SiLA (Siberian Light Aviation) is a Russian regional airline established in 2008. Provides regular and custom passenger transportation in the Kolyma Territory and Siberia. The carrier also carries out forest patrol and rescue flights. The airline's route network is small, consisting of 16 destinations.

The 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 operate 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...

Air Arabia, a low-cost airline from the United Arab Emirates, operated its first flight from Sharjah to Manama on October 28, 2003. Since then, 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 by former Pan American pilot Kim Lundgren, Air Berlin operated its first flight from Berlin to Palma de Mallorca on April 28, 1979, on a Boeing 707. In April 1991, Air Berlin underwent a major change. 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 carried 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 the China Aviation Group. Air China is China's main civil aviation carrier and a member of the world's largest airline 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 an air transport license 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 at 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 of 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 air carrier in Italy, Alitalia airline, was founded in September 1946 and at that time had the name 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 that operates scheduled and charter passenger flights both in 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 in 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) is a Russian charter airline based at Moscow Domodedovo Airport. Since 2015, it has been part of the tourism holding Anex Tourism Group and works for the needs of the tour operator Anex Tour, operating 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...

British Midland Airways (BMI) began life in 1938 as a flying school training 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, Bulgaria Air customers 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 began operations with 26 employees and a 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 from the East China Regional Office of the General Administration of Civil Aviation of the People's Republic of China on 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, which operated flights to 151 destinations. At the moment, the airline's fleet...

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 use 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 of 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...

Based at Prague's Václav Havel Airport, the national airline of the 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 an El Al aircraft carried Israel's first president from Geneva to the Tel Nof military base. 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. There is one interesting fact in the history of Finnair. 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). Germanwings airline 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 Prince Rainier III of Monaco and during that year carried 747 passengers on its only helicopter, the ENSTROM F28. Throughout its history, Heli Air Monaco has constantly expanded its helicopter fleet...

The Russian charter airline I FLY received an “Operator Certificate” on November 24, 2009. The main activity of I FLY airline is the transportation of tourists to popular holiday destinations. 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. IrAero's aircraft fleet consists of aircraft of the CRJ-100/200 type (...

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 cargo 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). 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 receives its first of four Boeing 737-300s for domestic and regional flights and launches the Msafir frequent flyer loyalty program, which is 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 Air is an airline based in Vienna, Austria. Operates scheduled, charter and weekend flights to Europe, North Africa, the 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 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-owned 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, Nordwind Airlines' route network already included 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. using Fokker F-50 aircraft, it carried out air transportation on the west coast of 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 a subsidiary of the French airline Air Liberte, Air Liberte Tunisie began operating its flights using 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 of the route network of the previous company, operated 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 carry out international...

The 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 V...

Based at Moscow's Vnukovo Airport, 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 operating 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...

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...

Based at Jeddah International Airport, Saudia Airlines is the flagship airline of Saudi Arabia. The history of Saudia Airlines began with the fact that after the opening of navigation through the Suez Canal on February 14, 1945, Roosevelt (US President) presented King Aziz with a Douglas DC-3 Dakota (HZ-AAX) aircraft. In the same year, the aircraft began to be used for air transportation of goods and passengers between the cities of Riyadh, ...

The multinational airline Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS) was founded on August 1, 1946 as a result of a partnership between three leading airlines (Denmark, Norway and Sweden) to organize international air traffic in Scandinavia. Scandinavian Airlines System operates regular passenger and cargo services. In 1954, Scandinavian Airlines System became the first airline...

The Chinese regional airline Shenzhen Airlines was founded (major shareholders Air China and Shenzhen International Total Logistics Co, Ltd) in November 1992 with the purpose of transporting passengers, cargo and airmail. Shenzhen Airlines began operating on September 17, 1993. From the very beginning of its operations, Shenzhen Airlines has been distinguished by its high dynamics of development and quality of service...

Singapore 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...

Based at Johannesburg OR Tambo International Airport, South African Airways (SAA) was founded on 1 February 1934, after the South African government took control of the assets and liabilities of Union Airways (from which South African Airways was created). which came under the authority of the South African Railways and Ports Administration). Having received its first aircraft on November 1, 1934...