Aeroflot Group redistributes its Boeing 737 fleet

As of November 1 Aeroflot airline had 47 Boeing 737-800s in its fleet and is expecting a further four from its sister carrier Rossiya Airlines (Aeroflot)

Aeroflot Group has initiated the process of redistributing part of its fleet of Boeing 737NGs among the group’s subsidiary airlines, with four aircraft to be transferred from Rossiya Airlines to low-cost sister carrier Pobeda and another four to title carrier Aeroflot. The first of these aircraft, with registration VP-BUS, has already undergone a change of livery at the Spektr-Avia paint shop in Ulyanovsk, prior to starting service with Aeroflot.

Aeroflot Group’s board of directors announced its decision to redistribute the fleet, along with plans to increase the group’s entire fleet to 398 units next year, at a recent meeting.

Of the group’s four subsidiaries, it is low-cost carrier Pobeda Airlines that has been enjoying the highest growth rates – and suffering from a seat capacity shortage, mainly brought about by delays to its planned B737 MAX deliveries.

The reason for transferring aircraft between Rossiya and Aeroflot has not yet been disclosed, but it is understood that Russia’s national carrier needs to boost its fleet in advance of the launch of operations from its new Kransoyarsk regional hub scheduled for March next year.