Rossiya Airlines (ICAO: SDM), sometimes branded as Rossiya—Russian Airlines, is one of Russia's oldest and largest air carriers, tracing its roots back to 1932 with the Leningrad Civil Aviation Directorate, later known as Pulkovo Aviation Enterprise. The modern Rossiya Airlines was officially registered in Saint Petersburg in 2006, formed by the merger of the original Rossiya Airlines and Pulkovo Aviation Enterprise. In 2011, it became a part of the Aeroflot Group, further consolidating its presence in the Russian aviation market. In 2016, other Aeroflot subsidiaries, Donavia and Orenair, were also integrated under the Rossiya brand.
The airline operates with primary operational hubs at Pulkovo Airport in Saint Petersburg and Moscow Sheremetyevo International Airport, with additional bases in Krasnoyarsk and Sochi. As of 2025, Rossiya Airlines operates a diverse fleet of approximately 129 to 136 aircraft. This includes Airbus A319/A320, Boeing 737/777, and Russian Sukhoi Superjet 100 models. The airline is notably the largest operator of Russian-made Sukhoi Superjet 100 and wide-body Boeing 747-400 aircraft within the Aeroflot Group.
Rossiya's extensive route network comprises over 120 destinations, primarily focusing on domestic flights across Russia's vast territory. This includes key connections to socially significant and popular cities, particularly in the Far East. While its focus is largely domestic, it also serves select international destinations in the Commonwealth of Independent States and allied nations. As a subsidiary of Aeroflot Group, Rossiya Airlines operates codeshare flights marketed under the Aeroflot designator on certain routes, however, international codeshare partnerships have been curtailed since 2022 due to sanctions. The airline offers Economy Class and Business Class, with some sources also mentioning a "Comfort class." Business Class passengers can expect spacious seating, priority boarding, gourmet dining, and airport lounge access.
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Common Complaints:
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Traveler sentiment for Rossiya Airlines, based on reviews prior to recent geopolitical events, generally indicated a satisfactory experience, particularly concerning its value for money and reliable punctuality. While the in-flight service and cabin comfort were often appreciated, the airline's limited in-flight entertainment options were a consistent area for improvement.
Rossiya Airlines historically maintained a strong safety record, recognized internationally. In 2020 and 2021, Airline Ratings awarded Rossiya the highest safety score of seven out of seven stars, ranking it among the safest airlines globally. The German Jet Airliner Crash Data Evaluation Center (JACDEC) also recognized Rossiya as the best Russian airline in 2020, placing it 32nd in its global safety ranking. Rossiya Airlines has held an IOSA (IATA Operational Safety Audit) certificate since 2007, consistently confirming its compliance with international operational safety standards through regular audits.
However, the safety landscape for Russian aviation, including Rossiya Airlines, has significantly changed since 2022 due to Western sanctions. In March 2022, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) withdrew maintenance organization approvals from Russian airlines, including Rossiya Airlines, effectively making it illegal for them to maintain EASA-certified aircraft. Consequently, Rossiya Airlines is currently banned from flying into the European Union. Furthermore, the FAA downgraded Russia's air safety rating to Category 2 in April 2022, indicating that Russia's Federal Agency for Air Transport does not comply with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) safety standards. This restricts Russian carriers from initiating new services to the United States or codesharing with U.S. airlines.
Regarding its fleet, Rossiya operates a mix of Airbus, Boeing, and Sukhoi Superjet 100 aircraft. In response to sanctions impacting access to spare parts and maintenance, Russia's Federal Air Transport Agency expanded Rossiya Airlines' FAP-285 certificate in March 2022, allowing it to perform maintenance on foreign-made aircraft registered in Russia at its Pulkovo base. Despite these domestic efforts, the overall Russian aviation sector has seen a reported increase in safety incidents since 2022-2023, with some reports indicating a 30% rise in 2024, attributed to challenges in maintaining Western-made aircraft. Specific incidents for Rossiya include a cabin depressurization in December 2023, and various technical issues in 2021 such as unsafe landing gear, engine shutdowns, hydraulic failures, and rejected takeoffs.
Based on available data, while Rossiya Airlines once had strong safety accolades, the recent regulatory downgrades by international bodies and the reported increase in incidents within Russian aviation due to sanctions present a concerning safety assessment for the airline's current operations.
| Route | Destination | Flights | Distance | Aircraft | Last Seen |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SVO → LED |
Pulkovo
Saint Petersburg
|
236 | 373 mi | SU95 | Dec 11, 2025 |
| GOJ → SVO |
Sheremetyevo Int'l
Moscow
|
170 | 246 mi | SU95 | Dec 8, 2025 |
| MMK → LED |
Pulkovo
Saint Petersburg
|
137 | 626 mi | A320 | Dec 10, 2025 |
| KUF → SVO |
Sheremetyevo Int'l
Moscow
|
137 | 536 mi | SU95 | Dec 8, 2025 |
| GOJ → LED |
Pulkovo
Saint Petersburg
|
132 | 552 mi | SU95 | Dec 11, 2025 |
| NBC → SVO |
Sheremetyevo Int'l
Moscow
|
129 | 571 mi | SU95 | Dec 10, 2025 |
| KGD → LED |
Pulkovo
Saint Petersburg
|
117 | 495 mi | SU95 | Dec 10, 2025 |
| VOG → SVO |
Sheremetyevo Int'l
Moscow
|
113 | 576 mi | SU95 | Dec 10, 2025 |
| UFA → LED |
Pulkovo
Saint Petersburg
|
103 | 1019 mi | SU95 | Dec 10, 2025 |
| UFA → SVO |
Sheremetyevo Int'l
Moscow
|
89 | 732 mi | SU95 | Dec 6, 2025 |
| GSV → SVO |
Sheremetyevo Int'l
Moscow
|
87 | 463 mi | SU95 | Dec 9, 2025 |
| KUF → LED |
Pulkovo
Saint Petersburg
|
86 | 868 mi | SU95 | Dec 11, 2025 |
| CEK → LED |
Pulkovo
Saint Petersburg
|
76 | 1188 mi | A319 | Dec 10, 2025 |
| KJA → IKT |
Irkutsk Int'l
Irkutsk
|
74 | 551 mi | SU95 | Dec 10, 2025 |
| KJA → LED |
Pulkovo
Saint Petersburg
|
73 | 2210 mi | B738 | Dec 9, 2025 |
| PEE → LED |
Pulkovo
Saint Petersburg
|
68 | 925 mi | SU95 | Dec 8, 2025 |
| VVO → BQS |
Ignatyevo
Blagoveschensk
|
64 | 535 mi | SU95 | Dec 11, 2025 |
| VOG → LED |
Pulkovo
Saint Petersburg
|
63 | 947 mi | SU95 | Dec 10, 2025 |
| KGD → SVO |
Sheremetyevo Int'l
Moscow
|
63 | 663 mi | B739 | Dec 7, 2025 |
| LED → SVO |
Sheremetyevo Int'l
Moscow
|
62 | 373 mi | SU95 | Aug 23, 2025 |
| SVO → GOJ |
Strigino
Nizhny Novgorod
|
56 | 246 mi | SU95 | Dec 9, 2025 |
| PEE → AER | Adler-Sochi Int'l | 55 | 1217 mi | B738 | Dec 8, 2025 |
| KJA → BQS |
Ignatyevo
Blagoveschensk
|
55 | 1479 mi | B738 | Dec 10, 2025 |
| ARH → LED |
Pulkovo
Saint Petersburg
|
54 | 472 mi | SU95 | Dec 9, 2025 |
| SCW → SVO |
Sheremetyevo Int'l
Moscow
|
53 | 619 mi | SU95 | Dec 10, 2025 |
Airline statistics are based on flight route observations collected from FlightAware AeroAPI and other sources. Flight counts represent observed operations, not scheduled frequencies. Route data is continuously updated as new flight information becomes available.