Rossiya takes delivery of Boeing 777

Rossiya's leet of wide-bodies is expnding rapidly (Photo by Rossiya Airlines)

Rossiya Airlines has received one more Boeing 777-300 wide-body aircraft, which was previously operated by Transaero, from the Irish subsidiary of VTB-Leasing. Singapore-based SIAEC company performed the complete required MRO on the aircraft, after which it was painted into Rossiya’s new corporate style livery.

According to open sources, the aircraft, with tail number EI-UNL, was produced in 1998, and prior to entering Transaero’s fleet had been operated by Singapore Airlines.

Last week, VTB-Leasing delivered a Boeing 747 with the airline’s new paint scheme to Rossiya. This aircraft received complete MRO at UAE-based Volga-Dnepr Gulf, a subsidiary of the Volga-Dnepr Group. VTB-Leasing’s deliveries are behind schedule, because of a bulk of parts and components that need to be replaced.

The first of ex-Transaero wide-bodies, a Boeing 747, was delivered to Rossiya by Sberbank Leasing. Three more of such aircraft are waiting to enter service with the carrier. Sberbank Leasing is expected to complete the formalities before mid-July. Several more wide-bodies will be positioned through VEB-Leasing.

Rossiya, which has recently merged with Donavia and OrenAir (both carriers’ AOCs have been cancelled), emerged as a renewed entity at the end of March. Its ambition is to become Russia’s second largest carrier by traffic, after parent company Aeroflot. Rossiya forecasts its 2016 traffic to exceed 9 million passengers. It operates Airbus A319/A320 and Boeing 737-800, 747 and 777 aircraft.