Russian Flyers Face New Ticket Levy

A Production Promise of 120 Jets That Delivered Only 13 Aircraft

Between 2022 and 2025, Russian airlines received 13 new aircraft against a planned 120, Euronews reported. The civil industry has produced no new serial aircraft since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Deadlines keep sliding. In summer 2026, the target for large-scale production moved from 2030 to 2035. Certification and serial production of the MS-21 and SJ-100 are now slated for 2027, while the certified Il-114-300 is promised from December 2026.

Sanctions Left Russian Airlines Flying an Ageing, Shrinking and Cannibalised Fleet

Western sanctions left Russian airlines cut off from buying or leasing Western jets, spare parts or maintenance after February 2022. Before the invasion, about 850 of Russia’s 900 commercial aircraft were Boeing or Airbus models, around 85% of them leased.

Moscow let carriers re-register more than 400 foreign-leased jets at home, a move Euronews describes as illegal under international aviation law. Lessors have filed insurance claims of around $8 billion, and airlines now strip seized aircraft for parts.

What the New Levy Could Raise and Cost Russian Air Travellers

Kommersant estimated the levy could raise 68.12–84.41 billion roubles a year, based on 2025 traffic of 81.45 million domestic plus 27.4 million international passengers.

Part of the money would go to leasing companies to bridge the gap between production costs and the subsidised prices airlines pay, Meduza reported, with the rest offsetting high operating costs. Analysts quoted by Kommersant warn that pricier tickets risk driving passengers away.