Russia May Charge Air Travelers More to Keep Its Aircraft Industry Flying

Russia is considering a new surcharge on airline tickets to help finance the leasing and operation of domestically produced passenger aircraft.

This was reported by Ukraine's Foreign Intelligence Service (SZRU) on its official website on October 6.

The proposed charge would apply to both domestic and international flights, with the fee for international travel set substantially higher. Authorities intend to collect the additional revenue over several years to subsidize Russian-made passenger aircraft.

The agency added that the money would help cover the gap between aircraft production costs and discounted prices offered to Russian carriers. The program covers three major passenger aircraft families: the MC-21, SJ-100, and Tu-214.

The Foreign Intelligence Service described the measure as another attempt to transfer the financial burden of supporting Russian industries directly to consumers. It linked those pressures to Russia's war spending and broader strains on the federal budget.

The service also pointed to higher taxes, including VAT, and rising utility costs affecting Russian households. Utility tariffs are expected to increase for the second time this fall.

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World

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Russia's civil aviation sector has faced mounting difficulties since sanctions restricted access to Western aircraft components and spare parts. The proposed passenger surcharge would effectively enable travelers to contribute directly to efforts to sustain domestic aircraft production and operations.

The intelligence service also cited experts who expect higher ticket prices to reduce demand and overall passenger traffic, particularly as household incomes remain under pressure.

The push to subsidize domestic aircraft comes as Russian carriers struggle to keep their existing Sukhoi Superjet 100 fleets in the air.

Replacing the jet's foreign-made SaM-146 engines with domestic PD-8 units is estimated to cost $24.2 million to $26.5 million per aircraft.

Without state support, airlines face a gradual phase-out of the roughly 160 Superjets still in service. Between 2023 and 2025, Russian authorities also suspended operations of more than 480 aircraft, nearly half of the commercial fleet, due to technical defects and falsified maintenance records.

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