Aeroflot: aircraft and routesAeroflot: aircraft and routes

History and development

The origins of Aeroflot go back to the Dobrolet Society, established in 1923. In the same year, regular passenger traffic between Moscow and Nizhny Novgorod was opened. The name Aeroflot appeared in 1932.

The development of Aeroflot reflects the history of the country’s civil aviation: from the first regular lines to the modern system of flights with transfers in the capital. Aeroflot Group also has Rossiya and low-cost Pobeda, which have their own roles in the common route network.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the usual name ceased to denote the entire civil aviation of the country. In 1992, the international association was transformed into an independent Russian airline; later it began to build up its internal network, and in 2000 it consolidated the name “Aeroflot-Russian Airlines”.

In the mid-1990s, Russian Aeroflot was already a joint-stock company, but the state retained control of the company. In 1999, the program "Aeroflot Bonus" appeared, and in 2003 the coloring of the aircraft and the shape of the crews were updated. These steps accompanied the transition from the Soviet common brand of civil aviation to a recognizable airline operating in a competitive market.

In the 2000s, the Russian Aeroflot paid more and more attention to the domestic market. One of the steps was the development of subsidiary carriers, including on the northern lines, and in 2006 the company joined SkyTeam. Later, the structure of the group changed again: the current Rossiya and Pobeda operate under their brands, complementing the network of the main carrier.

Milestones

• 1923: Dobrolet opened the Moscow-Nizhny Novgorod line, one of the starting points of the history of regular air transportation in the country.
• 1932: The General Directorate of the Civil Air Fleet is renamed Aeroflot.
• 1991-1992: the international association was formed as a separate company, and after the collapse of the USSR was transformed into a Russian carrier.
• 1994: Partial privatization began; the state retained a controlling stake.
• 2000: The airline consolidated the name "Aeroflot - Russian Airlines" and continued to update the international and domestic fleet.

Route networks

Today, the carrier is building a network around Moscow Sheremetyevo: flights to Russia and international destinations are carried out from here. For routes of different lengths, narrow-body and wide-body aircraft are used.

For connecting trips Sheremetyevo connects flights from Russian cities with other destinations of the network. The choice of the route depends on the schedule and the availability of the connection: a direct flight and a trip through Moscow can differ markedly in time on the way.

In the 1990s, international destinations played a particularly large role for the new Aeroflot. As the market changed, the carrier once again expanded its presence in Russia, and Sheremetyevo gradually turned into a node that combines both types of routes.

The Aeroflot route system is not limited to individual flights from Moscow. It is important to coordinate the schedule: arrival from one city should give the opportunity to continue on another plane. That is why Sheremetyevo plays the role of a transfer center, and seasonal and international changes can also affect internal connections.

Aircraft and features

When choosing a flight, it is important to distinguish between the brand of the group and the actual carrier listed on the ticket. Tariff and service rules may depend on this; the type of aircraft is determined by the specific flight and can be replaced before departure.

On short and medium-haul lines, aircraft of the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 families are used, on long-haul lines - more capacious Airbus A330 and Boeing 777. The list of types in the article helps to find out the park, but does not replace information about a particular flight.

The change of eras is also noticeable on airplanes. In the early 1990s, Airbus A310 appeared in the park - one of the first Western trunk liners of Russian civil aviation. Today, historical types have given way to other Airbus and Boeing families.

Many Aeroflot aircraft have their own names: on the fuselages you can see the names of Russian scientists, artists, composers and other famous people. This tradition refers to the design of the fleet, and not to a separate model of the liner. It is more important for the passenger to check the type of board in the reservation: Airbus A320 on the short section and Boeing 777 on the far will offer completely different cabins.

In the 2000s, the update of the equipment affected both short and long-haul routes: Airbus A320 families came to European and domestic lines, wide-body Boeing served longer ones. The Aeroflot Bonus program connected flights with the accumulation of miles. At the same time, the presence of a program or a famous name on the fuselage does not indicate the type of aircraft on a particular flight.