[AMcWhirter]

This is a worrying development for those currently able to take flights with Russian airlines.

The ruling applies only to Western-made aircraft.

It is unclear whether the aircraft in question are used purely for domestic routes or whether they might also operate international services.

For example, Aeroflot continues to operate a few international routes using Airbus or Boeing aircraft.

For example, Moscow-Bangkok with B777-300ER and Moscow-Dubai with Airbus A330 equipment.

Interesting piece for aviation fans from the industry’s ATW. [No payewall]

Rosaviatsia now allows the installation of non-original spares on foreign-made commercial aircraft, without seeking approval from the type-certificate holders.https://t.co/lRZMUsmoD6

— Air Transport World (@ATWOnline) January 23, 2023

[FDOS]

Thanks Alex, not that I was likely to fly a Russian airline, however I definitely will not now.

[Midlands Traveller]

I’ve done quite a bit of flying in Russia, including on some very interesting cold war era Tupolev and Ilyushin aircraft.

Part of my business at that time included supplying maintenance consumables to the airlines (not spare parts though), and from what I have heard I suspect this news is basically formalising a practice that is already well established.

3 users thanked author for this post.

Swissdiver, Mark, BugAdvisor

[GivingupBA]

[postquote quote=1337685]

I took many, many long haul flights on Aeroflot in the 1970s. They were cheaper than the alternatives. I had many “interesting” experiences on them. One on most of their flights, come to think of it. No need to recount details. Other airlines are boring (in a good way), Aeroflot were always memorable.

1 user thanked author for this post.

tomwjsimpson

[AMcWhirter]

[quote quote=1337756]I took many, many long haul flights on Aeroflot in the 1970s[/quote]

Back in those days Aeroflot acted as a hard currency earner for the USSR.

Aeroflot paid no attention to the then IATA rules which specified that no IATA member must undercut the IATA-approved fares. I believe at that time Aeroflot was not an IATA member and even though it operated into IATA regions the regulators turned a blind eye.

Although a Moscow plane change was required when Asia-bound with Aeroflot this still meant that Aeroflot could offer attractive schedules over USSR airspace.

At that time of course Western carriers were almost all banned from overflying USSR airspace (when bound for an onward destination).

I was working in the travel trade during the 1970s and I remember that in the latter half of that decade the USSR began to open its airspace to a *selected* Western airlines.

The route in question was London-Tokyo. Both BA (using B707) and JAL (using DC-8) operated the route but they were compelled to operate only narrow-bodied aircraft and they had to make a refuelling stop in Moscow.

But both these and other European carriers continued their Tokyo flights via Anchorage using wide-body aircraft.

It was a shorter flight via Moscow and so the airlines would charge extra for that route (compared to the Polar route via Anchorage).

1 user thanked author for this post.

GivingupBA

[MartynSinclair]

https://www.independent.co.uk/tv/news/russia-moscow-thailand-azur-air-b2276086.html

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11715185/Engine-erupts-flames-tourist-plane-carrying-321-people-Thailand.html

[cwoodward]

A disaster waiting to happen I fear.

2 weeks ago at Phuket I saw 2 X B777s there and looking at the schedules there are several flights ex Russia (some Transit) every day and the place is absolutely choked with Russian tourist’s.
Good of course for the Thai tourist industry but at what potential cost ?

[MartynSinclair]

and another..

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11792479/Terror-tourist-flight-oxygen-masks-fail-release-severe-cabin-depressurisation.html

[cwoodward]

If they are cheap and convenient enough people will fly with them.

[GivingupBA]

[postquote quote=1346198]

That’s right. But not even “convenient” – I think people just choose flights based on who has the lowest fares.

[Author]

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