Russia's Pobeda Airlines Temporarily Suspends All Flights

aircraft
Launched in 2014, Vnukovo-based Pobeda operates a fleet of 30 Boeing 737-800s.
Credit: Joe Pries

MOSCOW—Aeroflot LCC subsidiary Pobeda Airlines is suspending all flights from Apr. 1 until May 31, following the Russian government’s recommendation for the country’s resorts to halt operations to combat the spread of COVID-19. 

Authorities introduced the resort restrictions Mar. 27 through the beginning of summer. 

All passengers will receive refunds on Pobeda’s website, to be used on future flights after operations resume, the carrier said in a statement. 

Launched in 2014, Vnukovo-based Pobeda operates a fleet of 30 Boeing 737-800s. Currently, it is the third biggest carrier in the country, after Aeroflot and S7 Airlines, and the fastest-growing airline in Russia. 

Pobeda’s traffic grew 43.2% year-over-year in 2019, to 10.3 million passengers. Its route network concentrates on domestic destinations. Pobeda also operates some international flights but those were suspended in March. 

Russia’s state-operated domestic news agency RIA Novosti reported Mar. 28 that the government is reviewing restrictions on the country’s transport system, including domestic flights. 

Polina Montag-Girmes

Polina joined the Air Transport World team in 2011, covering Russian and the Commonwealth of Independent States. She studied journalism at Moscow State University and worked as a journalist for Russian business and airline publications since 2000.