Russia, which has been hit by US and Western sanctions, has asked other countries for help in organizing domestic flights, reports the “Adyrna” national portal.
Russian airlines are facing a shortage of aircraft for domestic flights. Due to this, Russian Minister of Transport Roman Starovoit announced that negotiations are underway to involve Kazakhstan’s airlines in Russia’s domestic flights.
“The shortage of aircraft for domestic flights is the reason for seeking permission for cabotage transportation,” explained Starovoit. He also mentioned that negotiations are taking place with other countries besides Kazakhstan, but did not specify which ones.
Before the war, Russian airlines had a fleet of 850 aircraft. However, Oliver Wyman consulting company reported that by early 2023, the number had decreased to 736.
The company’s forecast suggests that due to sanctions and the ban on the supply of aircraft and spare parts from the West, the number of planes in Russia could be halved by 2026.
