From April 8, 2022, the low-cost airline Pobeda is temporarily transferring all its Moscow flights to Vnukovo International Airport. Passengers who have booked tickets for flights from other Moscow airports to St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Mineralnye Vody, Ulyanovsk, Nalchik, Petrozavodsk, Vladikavkaz, Barnaul, Cheboksary and back, will have the opportunity to fly from Vnukovo or receive a refund.
From the entire Pobeda Airlines fleet, 25 Boeing 737 aircraft currently remain in operation. The decision to optimize its production program and concentrate operational activities at one base airport will allow the low-cost carrier to operate the existing fleet of aircraft as efficiently as possible, and to continue to carry out its flight program at the required traffic volume.
Acting General Director of Pobeda Airlines Andrey Yurikov clarified: «The temporary reduction of the fleet and the concentration of operational processes in one base at Vnukovo airport was a carefully weighed decision, and it was not easy to take it against the background of the impressive successes of Pobeda, recognized as a world leader in terms of development rates, flight time and flight loading. However, there are necessary temporary measures that will allow the company to navigate safely through a difficult period. Our experience of finding radical solutions, such as when we „grounded“ the entire fleet during the pandemic in the spring of 2020, proved its absolute effectiveness. Therefore, now we are doing everything possible to avoid cuts to the team, and we will keep the mothballed aircraft in full airworthiness, in order to be able to quickly return to the previous pace of development as soon as possible. Taking into account the reduced volumes, we will focus on operational processes from one base airport for more efficient use of the company’s resources.»
Vnukovo International Airport is fully ready for the complete transfer of operations of the key base carrier, and guarantees a comfortable stay for passengers on the territory of the airport complex.
Pobeda Airline is part of the Aeroflot Group, established on behalf of the President of the Russian Federation in 2014. Since it took to the air, Pobeda has become the most popular airline in the history of Russian aviation, and remains the leader in seat loading in the Rosaviation rating for regular Russian air carriers.
Vnukovo International Airport is one of Russia’s largest air transport hubs. Each year the airport handles approximately 200 000 flights by Russian and international airlines. Its network covers the whole territory of Russia as well as short- and long-haul destinations, Europe, the Americas, Asia and Africa. In 2019, Vnukovo International Airport served over 24 million passengers, breaking its own record. Vnukovo airport terminal, with a total area of about 300,000 square meters, can handle up to 35 million passengers annually. Vnukovo International Airport is the only airport in Russia to have received a Letter of Commendation from the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin for its professional achievements and high performance. Moreover, Vnukovo Airport was recognized as the Best International Airport by Air Gateway of Russia award and Best Airport: overcoming challenges 2020 at National Aviation Infrastructure Show (NAIS) for three years running.
