Russia’s largest charter carrier Azur Air has found itself on the brink of collapse due to sanctions, an aging fleet of Boeing aircraft, and restrictions imposed by the regulator
The war in Iran may finally finish off Russia’s largest charter carrier Azur Air, which was already “sinking.” In mid-March, Russia’s aviation authority Rosaviatsiya restricted the airline’s operator certificate after engine and component failures in Azur Air aircraft had “acquired a systemic character.”
Following this decision, the airline began canceling and postponing flights one after another. Azur Air had previously hoped to receive “reliable” replacement engines for its Boeing aircraft from Iran, where it had been carrying out engine overhauls. But after the outbreak of war, it became clear that the repaired engines would not arrive. Against this background, the reported interest in purchasing the airline from Wildberries — which owns its own tour operator — looks somewhat unusual. Apparently, the number of serviceable aircraft at Azur Air may be sufficient for just one tour operator.
Serious problems for Azur Air began back in 2025. Its fleet consists mainly of Boeing 767 aircraft with an average age of about 28.9 years. Due to sanctions, proper maintenance of Boeing aircraft and the supply of spare parts became almost impossible. Throughout 2025, technical malfunctions became increasingly frequent. By the end of the year, part of the fleet had to be grounded, which in early 2026 led to multi-hour flight delays and mass passenger complaints. Even the remaining aircraft continue to suffer regular incidents. On January 23, a flight from Phuket (Thailand) to Barnaul made an emergency landing in China; on January 28, the same aircraft operating Nha Trang (Vietnam) — Irkutsk diverted to Hanoi due to an oil leak. In early February, another Boeing 767 returned to Phuket because of landing gear problems. On February 27, a Boeing 767 flying from Fukuoka (Japan) to Kazan experienced an engine surge with bangs and flashes of flame. And this list could go on.
As the fleet was forced to shrink, Azur Air announced a planned 10% staff reduction, including pilots and flight attendants.
On March 15, Rosaviatsiya officially restricted the airline’s operating certificate following systemic maintenance violations identified by the transport watchdog Rostransnadzor.
Soon after, Azur Air began prematurely terminating flights to Thailand from Moscow, Samara, Ufa, Yekaterinburg, and Barnaul. The situation on other routes is no better. Passengers complain about constant rescheduling of flights between Russian cities and Vietnam, which either shortens or extends their vacations. Financial losses are rarely compensated. At present, more than 40% of the airline’s flights depart late.
Notably, the tough stance of Rosaviatsiya and Rostransnadzor coincided with an offer to purchase Azur Air from Wildberries, which recently acquired the tour operator Fun&Sun. Interestingly, Azur Air’s summer charter program has been structured exclusively for Fun&Sun.
Owning an airline is an attractive asset for a tour operator.
In the aviation market, an unexpected theory about the situation around Azur Air is being actively discussed. Formally, the carrier is under severe regulatory pressure due to mass flight delays, and Rosaviatsiya has already warned that the operator certificate could be revoked by June 8. However, industry insiders increasingly suggest that the airline’s troubles may coincide with the interest of a major potential buyer — the marketplace Wildberries.
Politics Editor
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