Russian airlines have reportedly been forced to ground around half of their Airbus A320/A321 Neo fleets due to ongoing difficulties in sourcing vital spare parts, primarily engines, amid crippling Western sanctions.
As Kommersant reported on November 21, 34 of Russia’s 66 Airbus aircraft are currently out of service due to unresolved engine issues exacerbated by Western sanctions.
The main challenge lies in sourcing replacement engines manufactured by US-based Pratt & Whitney, a consequence of the sanctions imposed following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The hardest hit among Russian carriers is S7 Airlines, also known as Siberia Airlines, which has grounded 31 of its 39 Airbus A320neo and A321neo planes.
These aircraft, aged between three and seven years, constitute a key portion of S7’s fleet. National carrier Aeroflot and Ural Airlines have also grounded two and one aircraft, respectively.
Industry insiders revealed to Kommersant that S7 Airlines plans to conserve its operational engines for use during the next peak travel season. However, there are concerns that over 20 of its Airbus planes have already exhausted their engine lifespans, raising doubts about the feasibility of this strategy.
Meanwhile, other Russian A320neo and A321neo aircraft, totaling 27 units, primarily use French-made LEAP engines, which are reportedly less affected by the sanctions.
Despite this, sources suggest that if repair solutions remain unavailable, large-scale retirements of Airbus planes in Russia could begin as early as 2026.
The potential loss of these aircraft may not drastically impact Russia’s overall air travel capacity, as A320neo and A321neo models represent approximately 10% of the country’s foreign long-haul fleet.
However, for S7 Airlines, the retirement of these planes could lead to a 10-15% reduction in passenger traffic by the end of 2025. Experts note that airlines are likely to avoid seasonal imbalances in operations, as conserving and reactivating aircraft engines is prohibitively expensive.
Meanwhile, the new development comes just days after EurAsian Times reported that nearly 30 Russian airlines, responsible for over 25% of the country’s domestic passenger traffic, may face bankruptcy by 2025 due to mounting financial pressures.
Challenges In The Russian Civil Aviation Sector
The ongoing impact of Western sanctions on Russia’s aviation sector has led to severe operational disruptions, with the latest issue being the grounding of nearly half of the country’s Airbus A320/A321neo fleet.
The new maintenance challenges come as no surprise, given the sweeping sanctions imposed after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
These sanctions have crippled Russia’s ability to access essential components and technology for its aviation sector. In addition, major aircraft manufacturers like Boeing and Airbus have halted their maintenance services and spare parts supply for Russian airlines.
This has severely strained the country’s civil aviation operations, leaving Russian airlines struggling to maintain their fleets.
Dmitry Yadrov, the head of Russia’s federal air transport agency, Rosaviatsia, had already warned in July that passenger numbers in Russia would likely experience a major decline due to the challenges posed by these sanctions, particularly about aircraft maintenance, which has become nearly impossible.
While airlines have requested permission to send aircraft parts abroad for repairs, sources familiar with the matter told Kommersant that this would not be feasible.
Such operations can only take place in “unfriendly” countries—those that have imposed sanctions on Russia—where strict monitoring ensures that engine components do not end up back in Russia.
In response to these constraints, Russian media reported in July that state-owned Rosatom, the country’s nuclear energy corporation, would collaborate with Aeroflot to begin producing spare parts for foreign-made Boeing and Airbus aircraft within Russia.
This new production effort will focus on components for onboard equipment in Aeroflot’s fleet, including air conditioning, power supply, and lighting systems.
However, while Russian aviation authorities will certify these parts, they are unlikely to meet the rigorous safety standards established by the original manufacturers or recognized international safety agencies.
Moreover, the situation has already led to multiple incidents of aircraft malfunctions. In October 2023, three Aeroflot planes experienced breakdowns on the same day. A similar situation occurred in December 2023 when two Russian airplanes were forced to make emergency landings due to technical issues.
Also, Russia has sought assistance from friendly countries like India, China, and several Central Asian nations, requesting permission for their airlines to operate within Russian airspace. This proposal was brought up during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Kazan for the BRICS summit.
Nonetheless, the long-term outlook for Russia’s aviation industry remains uncertain. The country’s reliance on Western-made engines and parts has left it vulnerable to ongoing sanctions, which threaten to disrupt operations in the future unless viable alternatives or repair solutions are found.
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