Russian airlines will be able to immediately lease aircraft along with their crews. The corresponding amendments to the Air Code, legalizing the practice of wet leasing, entered into force on September 1.
As a result of the amendments, chartered aircraft flights will only be possible on domestic flights. “Under a civil aircraft leasing contract with a crew, one party (the lessor) for a fee and for a certain period of time provides the other party (the lessee) with the use of a civil aircraft, as well as providing the services of the crew members of "civil aircraft for domestic air transport of passengers, baggage, cargo and mail", is noted in the text of the new norm.
The aircraft will not be included on the lessee's air operator's certificate while it and the crew are on lease.
Analysts consider allowing this practice good for the development of the industry. This “will allow airlines to manage their fleet more flexibly, adding capacity during the high season”, a TASS source noted. “We will probably see real movement by next summer. And, of course, it will be in particular demand by airlines that operate the most popular types of aircraft - the Boeing 737 and the A320 family, he added.
In September 2023, Aeroflot General Director Sergey Alexandrovsky said that the company, together with the Ministry of Transport, is working on the introduction of wet leasing and overbooking in Russia. Then Aleksandrovski noted that after the adoption of the relevant law, the company “will be able to transfer aircraft within the group or attract additional cargo capacity from outside”. He also added that if an airline does not need aircraft during the low season, then the group will be able to take capacity on its network and vice versa.