The Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) issued a warning to Vitaly Vantsev, co-owner of Vnukovo, because of his statement about a possible increase in the price of air tickets for international flights by up to 40%. It is reported by RBC.
In addition, now the FAS, together with the Prosecutor General's Office, is conducting inspections of Russian airlines and airports due to ticket prices, Interfax reports with reference to the FAS.
“The agencies are reviewing carrier pricing for air tickets, and the establishment and application of tariffs and charges for servicing aircraft at airports.”
According to the service, inspections are taking place in Moscow, the Khabarovsk, Krasnoyarsk, Perm, Primorsky and Trans-Baikal Territories, the Moscow, Arkhangelsk, Orenburg and Vologda regions, the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug and the republics of Tatarstan, Komi and Mordovia.
Earlier, on July 13, Vitaly Vantsev, co-owner of Vnukovo Airport and Azimut Airlines, said in an interview with RBC that air tickets for domestic flights by the end of the year will rise by 15-20%, and for foreign flights – up to 40%. According to him, this is due to the rise in the cost of aircraft maintenance due to the sanctions imposed against Russia in 2022. Deputy head of the Ministry of Transport Igor Chalik rejected Vantsev's statement, a statement was published on the department's website that there were no grounds for such a rise in prices. In an interview, Vantsev also spoke about the lack of transit passengers at Moscow airports, idle facilities and a drone attack on Vnukovo.
The Russian aviation industry found itself in a difficult state after the start of the war with Ukraine and the imposition of sanctions that effectively locked foreign aircraft leased by Russian companies inside the country. Their repair, as well as Superjet repair, is impossible due to high reliance on imported parts, with foreign owners demanding the return of the aircraft at the threat of ships. The Insider drew attention to the fact that since mid-2022, the number of accidents in Russian aviation has been growing, including landing gear incidents.
In addition, the operation of the Sukhoi Superjet 100 (SSJ100) aircraft is under threat after the departure of the French SaM146 engine manufacturer Safran from the country. Replacing engines with domestic PD-8s, including the cost of turbines, is comparable to the residual cost of the entire aircraft or will cost even more, Yury Slyusar, head of the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), told Vedomosti.