The Russian airline Red Wings has started frequent flights from Moscow’s Zhukovsky Airport using Russian Tu-204 and Tu-214 aircraft since late October. The international routes will now be served by these domestically produced aircraft on a three-times-per-week basis.
The inaugural flight, which carried 168 passengers to Tel Aviv, departed on October 28. Red Wings announced that this service will continue as part of the fall-winter schedule, thereby enabling the integration of these aircraft into the company’s regular passenger fleet, beating their previous government-use exclusivity. At present, Red Wings operates Tu-204/214 flights from Zhukovsky on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays.
In recent years, the “Rossiya” special flight unit has mainly operated Tu-204/214 aircraft for the sole purpose of transporting government delegations. Red Wings announced in February 2024 that it would be the first airline to bring back the “Tu” series in regular service.
On February 2, the first flight of the new season took off from Zhukovsky to Sochi. Subsequently, international routes began operating from Moscow’s Domodedovo Airport to Tel Aviv, Batumi, and Yerevan.
Red Wings operates the Tu-214, which is configured as a single-class aircraft that accommodates 194 passengers, as opposed to the Tu-204, which accommodates 210 passengers. With a complete passenger load, these aircraft are capable of traveling up to 5,200 kilometers. In contrast, the SuperJet 100, which serves as the backbone of Red Wings’ fleet, has a maximum capacity of 100 passengers and a maximum range of merely 4,600 kilometers.
In February, Ekaterina Rukhlova, Red Wings’ Deputy CEO for Fleet Management, stated that the Tu aircraft were rendered more cost-effective and appealing for routine flights following their modernization, which involved the fitting of entirely new interiors and improved technical capabilities.
At present, Red Wings operates three Tu-214s, some of which were earlier retired by the same airline. The delivery of new Tu-204/214 aircraft was initially scheduled for 2024; however, manufacturing was postponed.
A source in the aviation industry told The Insider earlier this year “To show some results, they took an old model and handed it over to the airline. It’s unclear how they modernized it. Thirteen percent of its components need replacing, including avionics and collision-warning systems—these don’t yet exist domestically. The emergency slides and gas-filling equipment are American-made since no equivalent exists in Russia.”
The source clarified that the plane had been delivered to Red Wings with the intention of enabling the airline to promptly rehire Tu-214 pilots and recruit engineers for the aircraft. It is the only airline that has previously operated these aircraft and continues to do so.
But some experts observed that the aircraft were not even repainted in Red Wings livery, which may indicate a lack of commitment from the operator.
Red Wings’ management asserts that the transition to the Tu-214 enables the airline to mitigate its dependence on imported components and to avoid the acquisition of foreign aircraft, which would result in additional expenses and sanctions-related risks.
CEO Yevgeny Solodilov of Red Wings confirmed that the transition from Western to Russian aircraft is a response to the current economic and geopolitical challenges.
Compared to the SuperJet 100, the Tu-214 has a greater range and a higher passenger capacity. Nevertheless, it consumes more fuel than models such as the Airbus A321, with an average of 3,700 kg per hour compared to the A321’s 3,200 kg. Furthermore, the Tu-214 requires an additional crew member, which results in an increase in tax and salary expenses. Russian airlines had previously refrained from using this model due to these factors.
Red Wings acknowledged several years ago that the Tu-214 was not as economically efficient as the Airbus 321, which it replaced. In the interim, the airline has transitioned to exclusively Russian aircraft, underwent ownership changes as it transferred to Rostec, and adjusted to sanctions that have significantly affected the aviation industry.
Denis Manturov, the First Deputy Prime Minister of Russia, visited local aviation and helicopter factories prior to the BRICS summit in Kazan, according to the publication called Reporter.
The publication notes, “The Tu-214, actively promoted by the Republic of Tatarstan’s leadership, was seen as a stopgap until the MC-21 could enter production. However, domestic airlines’ interest in the Tu-214 is growing, and so are order volumes.”
UAC and the airline S7 inked a memorandum of cooperation in late September 2024 to enhance their fleet. This encompasses a collaborative endeavor to provide the Siberian airline with 100 Tu-214 aircraft that have been upgraded.
Nevertheless, the plant’s ability to accommodate this volume and timeframe remains uncertain. The MC-21 has been anticipated for nearly a decade. Production of the SuperJet was also suspended following the introduction of sanctions. However, Kazan remains optimistic about the Tu-214’s potential to become a competitive aircraft. An innovative design center was recently established to modernize the airliner.
The immediate objective is to decrease the aircraft’s weight while maintaining its passenger capacity. This will entail the use of composite materials, the digitization of all design documents, and the enhancement of the internal systems and interior of the Tu-214. It will be capable of being operated by a two-member crew after the modernization process, as opposed to a three-member crew.
It is anticipated that a redesigned, two-crew Tu-214 will establish a market presence in various regions of the Middle East, Africa, and Asia that are friendly to Russia, in addition to domestic routes.
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