Aeroflot improves its position among top 20 global airlines

Russia’s biggest airline holding ranked 18th globally in 2018 (Aeroflot)

Aeroflot Group, Russia’s biggest airline holding comprising Aeroflot, Rossiya Airlines, Aurora and low-cost carrier (LCC) Pobeda, has moved up in the passenger number rankings of the world’s 20 leading airlines, according to Leading Airline Groups data released by Airline Business, a British air transport trade publication.

Aeroflot Group carried 55.7 million passengers in 2018 and ranked 18th globally, moving two places up from last year’s result. Also, the largest Russian airline holding reaffirmed its status among Europe’s biggest airlines in the traditional carrier segment.

Measured by revenue-passenger-kilometres (RPKs), Aeroflot and its subsidiaries maintained their 16th place, after improving on last year’s result by 9.9 per cent.

Of special note, Aeroflot’s LCC Pobeda made a breakthrough achievement in 2018, according to the ranking. It posted a record traffic growth rate in the global top-100 airline ranking after its annual passenger traffic growth soared to 56.8 per cent, the best overall performance in the aviation world.

Pobeda’s leading position in passenger traffic dynamics is the result of strong demand for budget air transportation in Russia, the airline group believes. This is further illustrated by the passenger load factor on Pobeda’s scheduled flights being the country’s highest. In 2018, Pobeda’s average load factor was 94 per cent and currently it is 96 per cent.

The continuous ascension of Aeroflot Group regarding its position in the global aviation elite is further proof of the successful implementation of the ambitious goals of Aeroflot’s 2023 strategy, the group observes.

In its latest five-year strategy unveiled last October and dubbed ‘100 by 100’, Aeroflot Group, is targeting to handle 100 million passengers by its 100th anniversary in 2023. Essentially it is planning to double its passenger numbers by focusing on south-east Asia-Europe transfer traffic, a project which includes the addition of a second international hub and regional bases – driven by the development of its low-cost carrier.