Russian carrier Rossiya has taken its fleet into triple figures after introducing 42 Sukhoi Superjet 100s to its operation, as part of an Aeroflot Group network restructuring.
It says its fleet has expanded to 100 aircraft as a result of the transfer of Superjets, and it intends to have 66 of the type by the end of this year.
Rossiya will further increase its Superjet fleet to 87 in 2022 – a year in which it will also start bringing in the Irkut MC-21.
Aeroflot Group signed for the lease, with Rostec’s Aviakapital-Servis, of 50 MC-21-300s in February 2018 and will become the largest operator of the twinjet type.
Rossiya carried nearly 3.8 million passengers over the first six months of the year, twice the figure at the interim point of 2020, as domestic recovery in Russia lifted its performance.
It is operating a network of 40 routes from Moscow and nearly 60 from St Petersburg, with domestic destinations accounting for two-thirds of the services.
The carrier says it has become the “leader” in terms of the number of domestically-built aircraft used on its network.
“Renewal of the fleet with new Russian-made aircraft enables Rossiya not only to open new destinations and expand the route network but also increase flight frequency,” it adds.
But it also stresses that it is still conducting services with foreign-built types, with Airbus A320-family jets on its short-haul routes, and claims to be one of the top three operators of Boeing 747s, alongside Lufthansa and AIr China, following the withdrawal of the high-capacity type by other carriers.
