(EFE).- Aeroflot, the hammer and sickle airline, celebrates 100 years of existence this Friday at the lowest moment since its recovery after the fall of the Soviet Union due to the impact of the pandemic and Western sanctions for the Russian military campaign in Ukraine.
The problems of one of the world’s best-known Soviet-Russian brands worsened in 2020 when covid-19 practically paralyzed world civil aviation.
The entire following year the company tried to straighten out its financial situation, something it achieved in part by managing to increase revenue by 62.7%, to 491.7 billion rubles (about $7.6 billion).
When Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the start of the “military campaign” to “denazify and demilitarize” Ukraine on February 24, 2022, Aeroflot had to consign its recovery plans to oblivion.
Debts, sanctions and aircraft seizures forced the state-controlled airline to seek financing to survive
Debts, sanctions and the seizure of aircraft forced the state-controlled airline to seek financing to survive.
It was the Russian State itself that came to the rescue of Aeroflot, by buying 5.4 billion shares at the price of 34.29 rubles per title, which meant an injection of 2.7 billion dollars.
“At that time it was the only way to keep the company afloat,” according to the financial portal Finam.ru.
With dozens of Western destinations closed by sanctions, the Russian company is seeking to establish itself in Asia and Africa, and increase its network within Russia itself. For this, the Government plans to allocate to Aeroflot this year 175,000 million rubles (about 2,300 million dollars) for the rental of aircraft.
Although in March 2022 Putin promulgated a law that left the door open for the country’s airlines to keep the aircraft they had leased to “guarantee the uninterrupted operation of activities”, Russia later modified that position.
Aeroflot recently purchased 10 Boeing 777 300ERs that it had leased through an Irish company.
This Wednesday, the Russian Transport Minister, Vitali Saveliev, indicated that Russian airlines continue to buy planes from leasing companies, for which the Government has allocated 300,000 million rubles (about 4,000 million dollars).
The century of history of Aeroflot, which currently has a fleet of almost 180 aircraft and flies to more than 120 destinations, dates back to March 17, 1923, when the shares of the Dobroliot airline were put up for sale, in the period of the new economic policy of the Bolsheviks, which allowed private initiative.
The century of history of Aeroflot, which currently has a fleet of almost 180 aircraft and flies to more than 120 destinations, dates back to March 17, 1923.
Almost four months later, on July 15, the first regular route of the predecessor of Aeroflot was inaugurated, between Moscow and Nizhny Novgorod.
Aeroflot currently heads a group of the same name, which brings together two other Russian state airlines, Rossia and Pobeda. Last year, the flag carrier transported 20.5 million passengers, and the group it leads, 40.7 million.
To entertain its passengers until July on the occasion of the anniversary, Aeroflot has prepared special menus prepared by the Russian chef Vladimir Sokolovski.
Among the dishes already offered on board are, among others, sturgeon terrine with celery and cuttlefish ink, octopus carpaccio or millet tabbouleh and artichokes. In addition, it will offer chocolates with allusive reasons for the centenary.
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