JSC Vladivostok Air (also Vladivostok Avia; russian: link=no,
ОАО Владивосток Авиа) was an independent airline with its head office at the airport in
Artyom
Artyom (russian: Артём) is a male given name common in Russia and other Slavic-speaking countries. The name uses the " ё" letter, which can be transcribed to English as "e" but still has the "yo" sound. The Belarusian spelling is Арцё ...
,
Primorski Krai
Primorsky Krai (russian: Приморский край, r=Primorsky kray, p=prʲɪˈmorskʲɪj kraj), informally known as Primorye (, ), is a federal subject (a krai) of Russia, located in the Far East region of the country and is a part of the ...
, Russia. In 2011, it was reacquired by Aeroflot.
Description
As the largest carrier in the
Russian Far East
The Russian Far East (russian: Дальний Восток России, r=Dal'niy Vostok Rossii, p=ˈdalʲnʲɪj vɐˈstok rɐˈsʲiɪ) is a region in Northeast Asia. It is the easternmost part of Russia and the Asian continent; and is admini ...
and
Siberia
Siberia ( ; rus, Сибирь, r=Sibir', p=sʲɪˈbʲirʲ, a=Ru-Сибирь.ogg) is an extensive geographical region, constituting all of North Asia, from the Ural Mountains in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east. It has been a part of ...
, Vladivostok Air operated scheduled domestic flights within Russia and international flights to Africa, Asia, and Europe, as well as charter flights and a well established helicopter service. The main hub of operations was
Vladivostok International Airport
Vladivostok International Airport (russian: Международный аэропорт "Владивосток" ''Mezhdunarodnyi aeroport Vladivostok'') is an international airport located near Artyom, Primorsky Krai, Russia, roughly an hour's d ...
, with secondary hubs at
Moscow Sheremetyevo International Airport and
Khabarovsk Novy International Airport and a focus city in
Ekaterinburg Koltsovo Airport.
[Vladivostok Air Fact Sheet](_blank)
. vladivostokavia.ru.
Prior to late September 2008, only a few flights between the cities of Vladivostok and Khabarovsk were available on Vladivostok Air, but when the Russian government decided to close
Dalavia
JSC Dalavia (russian: ОАО «Дальавиа»), also known as Dalavia — Far Eastern Airways (russian: Дальавиа «Дальневосточные Авиалинии») was an airline based in Khabarovsk, Russia. It operated sch ...
, due to high debt levels, Vladivostok Air soon announced the start of 7 additional domestic routes and 4 new international routes from Khabarovsk.
History
Beginnings
The 1930s saw active construction of airports in the Soviet republics throughout the
USSR
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen nationa ...
. The
Primorye
Primorsky Krai (russian: Приморский край, r=Primorsky kray, p=prʲɪˈmorskʲɪj kraj), informally known as Primorye (, ), is a federal subject (a krai) of Russia, located in the Far East region of the country and is a part of the ...
region gained its first airport in 1931. Construction also began on two airfields; a hydro-airport (seaplane port) in Vladivostok's Second River region and another named Ozernye Klyuchi (Lake Springs/Озерные Ключи), (which is now part of the current
Vladivostok International Airport
Vladivostok International Airport (russian: Международный аэропорт "Владивосток" ''Mezhdunarodnyi aeroport Vladivostok'') is an international airport located near Artyom, Primorsky Krai, Russia, roughly an hour's d ...
) near
Artyom
Artyom (russian: Артём) is a male given name common in Russia and other Slavic-speaking countries. The name uses the " ё" letter, which can be transcribed to English as "e" but still has the "yo" sound. The Belarusian spelling is Арцё ...
.
On 27 August 1932, a hydroplane (seaplane) destined to become the predecessor of Vladivostok Air completed its first flight and on 2 September, the hydroplane delivered four passengers from Khabarovsk to the Second River Airport marking. This is considered to be the official beginning of operations for Vladivostok Air, with regular flights from Khabarovsk to Vladivostok ever since.
In 1934, the Second River airport was moved to a dry location, allowing for the use of
Polikarpov Po-2
The Polikarpov Po-2 (also U-2, for its initial ''uchebnyy'', 'training', role as a flight instruction aircraft) served as an all-weather multirole Soviet biplane, nicknamed ''Kukuruznik'' (russian: Кукурузник,Gunston 1995, p. 292. NAT ...
aircraft, with which regular flights were made,
and new airports also opened at Iman (now called
Dalnerechensk
Dalnerechensk (russian: Дальнере́ченск) is a town in Primorsky Krai, Russia. Population:
It was previously known as ''Iman'' (until 1972).
Names
It was originally known as Iman (russian: Има́н; ), but its Russian name was c ...
) and Ozernye Klyuchi (Lake Springs) which, combined with newer aircraft, greatly fueled growth of the nascent airline.
World War II and the turboprop era
During World War II, Vladivostok Air's Po-2s carried supplies of lead-tin concentrates for industrial purposes and ammunition to the front lines. In July 1941, Vladivostok Air's fleet of
Polikarpov U-2
The Polikarpov Po-2 (also U-2, for its initial ''uchebnyy'', 'training', role as a flight instruction aircraft) served as an all-weather multirole Soviet biplane, nicknamed ''Kukuruznik'' (russian: Кукурузник,Gunston 1995, p. 292. NAT ...
,
Polikarpov P-5
The Polikarpov R-5 (russian: Р-5) was a Soviet reconnaissance bomber aircraft of the 1930s. It was the standard light bomber and reconnaissance aircraft of the Soviet Air Force for much of the 1930s, while also being used heavily as a civilian l ...
, and
Shavrov Sh-2
The Shavrov Sh-2 (later ASh-2)Andersson, 1995, p.222 was a 1930s Soviet amphibious sesquiplane flying boat developed from the Sh-1, with a more powerful engine, slightly increased size and amphibious undercarriage. The Sh-2 could carry three ...
aircraft were transferred to the Ozernye Klyuchi airport, opening a new era of development in the history of Primorye civil aviation and Vladivostok Air.
Chemical, nautical, geological, and forest management applications followed after the end of the
Great Patriotic War
The Eastern Front of World War II was a theatre of conflict between the European Axis powers against the Soviet Union (USSR), Poland and other Allies, which encompassed Central Europe, Eastern Europe, Northeast Europe (Baltics), and Sout ...
, operating from the rapidly developing airfields around the Primorye region. Many of which later served as the basis for modern airports constructed from the 1960s onwards.
Passenger flights from
Vladivostok
Vladivostok ( rus, Владивосто́к, a=Владивосток.ogg, p=vɫədʲɪvɐˈstok) is the largest city and the administrative center of Primorsky Krai, Russia. The city is located around the Zolotoy Rog, Golden Horn Bay on the Sea ...
to Moscow began using
Ilyushin Il-12
The Ilyushin Il-12 (NATO reporting name: Coach) was a Soviet twin-engine cargo aircraft, developed in the mid-1940s for small and medium-haul airline routes and as a military transport.
Design and development
The Il-12 was developed as a priva ...
airliners in 1948. Five years later, in 1953, the
Antonov An-2
The Antonov An-2 ("kukuruznik"—corn crop duster; USAF/DoD reporting name Type 22, NATO reporting name Colt) is a Soviet mass-produced single-engine biplane utility/agricultural aircraft designed and manufactured by the Antonov Design Bure ...
commenced service, becoming a significant educational tool for Vladivostok Air,
allowing pilots to amass experience in a number of different flight-related activities, while carrying several thousand passengers. Taking over the workload of the Po-2, the An-2 "Annushka" became a nearly irreplaceable aircraft for Vladivostok Air's agricultural charters. Vladivostok Air also began basic use of the
Lisunov Li-2
The Lisunov Li-2 (NATO reporting name: Cab), originally designated PS-84, was a license-built Soviet-version of the Douglas DC-3. It was produced by Factory #84 in Khimki, Moscow-Khimki and, after evacuation in 1941, at Tashkent Aviation Pro ...
aircraft, which would continue to operate regular passenger flights from Ozernye Klyuchi Airport to
Khabarovsk
Khabarovsk ( rus, Хабaровск, a=Хабаровск.ogg, r=Habárovsk, p=xɐˈbarəfsk) is the largest types of inhabited localities in Russia, city and the administrative centre of Khabarovsk Krai, Russia,Law #109 located from the China ...
for the next 15 years.
Vladivostok Air's robust helicopter operations began with the
Mil Mi-1
The Mil Mi-1 (USAF/DoD reporting name "Type 32", NATO reporting name "Hare") was a Soviet three- or four-seat light utility helicopter. It was the first Soviet helicopter to enter serial production. It is powered by one Ivchenko AI-26V radial ...
,
Kamov Ka-15
The Kamov Ka-15 (NATO reporting name Hen) was a Soviet two-seat utility helicopter with coaxial rotors, which first flew on 14 April 1952 at the hands of test pilot D. K. Yefremov. It was the world's first mass-produced coaxial helicopte ...
and
Mil Mi-4
The Mil Mi-4 (USAF/DoD reporting name "Type 36", NATO reporting name "Hound") is a Soviet transport helicopter that served in both military and civilian roles.
Design and development
The Mi-4 was designed in response to the American H-19 Chick ...
. These three helicopter types dutifully toiled away for some 30 odd-years and were later succeeded by the
Mil Mi-8
The Mil Mi-8 (russian: Ми-8, NATO reporting name: Hip) is a medium twin-turbine helicopter, originally designed by the Soviet Union in the 1960s and introduced into the Soviet Air Force in 1968.
It is now produced by Russia.
In addition t ...
,
Kamov Ka-26
The Kamov Ka-26 (NATO reporting name Hoodlum) is a Soviet light utility helicopter with co-axial rotors.
Development
The Ka-26 entered production in 1969 and 816 were built. A variant with a single turboshaft engine is the Ka-126. A twin turbo ...
, and
Kamov Ka-32
The Kamov Ka-27 (NATO reporting name 'Helix') is a military helicopter developed for the Soviet Navy, and currently in service in various countries including Russia, Ukraine, Vietnam, China, South Korea, and India. Variants include the Ka-29 a ...
.
[Vladivostok Air History](_blank)
. vladivostokavia.ru
Jet era and expansion
![YAK-40 RA-87325 Changchun](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/40/YAK-40_RA-87325_Changchun.JPG)
By 1958, the beginnings of the Primorye region's passenger-jet era started with the introduction of the
Tupolev Tu-104
The Tupolev Tu-104 (NATO reporting name: Camel) is a retired twinjet, medium-range, narrow-body turbojet-powered Soviet airliner. It was the second to enter regular service, behind the British de Havilland Comet, and was the only jetliner operat ...
airliner, and the
Tupolev Tu-114
The Tupolev Tu-114 Rossiya ( ru , link=no, Tyполев Тy-114 Poccия; NATO reporting name Cleat) was a turboprop-powered long-range airliner designed by the Tupolev design bureau and built in the Soviet Union from May 1955. The aircraft was ...
D which completed the first trial, scheduled, non-stop flight from Moscow to Vladivostok (on
Aeroflot
PJSC AeroflotRussian Airlines (russian: ПАО "Аэрофло́т — Росси́йские авиали́нии", ), commonly known as Aeroflot ( or ; russian: Аэрофлот, , ), is the flag carrier and the largest airline of Russia. The ...
) in May 1958.
When the size of the Ozernye Klyuchi airport restricted Vladivostok Air's expansion, the ground facilities were improved to allow regular flights with Tu-104s (1958),
Ilyushin Il-18
The Ilyushin Il-18 (russian: Илью́шин Ил-18; NATO reporting name: Coot) is a large turboprop airliner that first flew in 1957 and became one of the best known and most durable Soviet aircraft of its era. The Il-18 was one of the world ...
s (1963), and
Antonov An-10
The Antonov An-10 Ukraina ( ua, Антонов Ан-10 Україна, , Ukraine; NATO reporting name: Cat) is a four-engined turboprop passenger transport aircraft designed in the Soviet Union.
Design and development
Development of a four-en ...
s (1964). These improvements to the airport sharply increased passenger volumes. The first brick built terminal opened in February 1961, facilitating the processing of up to 200 passengers at once, marking the beginning of the larger airport known as Vladivostok International Airport.
Between the 1960s and 1980s, pilots from Vladivostok Air became pioneers in servicing the region's various whaling and fishing towns. While with
Mi-1 helicopters, on 30 August 1961, Vladivostok Air entered the fishing industry as well. Helicopters from Vladivostok Air have also served as flying-cranes and ambulances, further expanding their growing helicopter charter operations.
![Tu154 vladivostok newcolor1](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/90/Tu154_vladivostok_newcolor1.jpg)
In 1973, construction started on a new terminal at Vladivostok International Airport which began operating at the end of 1976. With the increase in terminal capacity, Vladivostok Air soon began regular service with
Tupolev Tu-154
The Tupolev Tu-154 (russian: Tyполев Ту-154; NATO reporting name: "Careless") is a three-engined, medium-range, narrow-body airliner designed in the mid-1960s and manufactured by Tupolev. A workhorse of Soviet and (subsequently) Russian ...
s, heralding a period of dynamic development of Vladivostok Air's fleet as new
Yakovlev Yak-40
The Yakovlev Yak-40 (russian: Яковлев Як-40; NATO reporting name: Codling) is a regional jet designed by Yakovlev. The trijet's maiden flight was in 1966, and it was in production from 1967 to 1981. Introduced in September 1968, the Ya ...
s and
Mil Mi-8
The Mil Mi-8 (russian: Ми-8, NATO reporting name: Hip) is a medium twin-turbine helicopter, originally designed by the Soviet Union in the 1960s and introduced into the Soviet Air Force in 1968.
It is now produced by Russia.
In addition t ...
s were purchased. The completion of a second runway in June 1985 opened up Vladivostok Airport to all modern aircraft and provided for the non-stop
Aeroflot
PJSC AeroflotRussian Airlines (russian: ПАО "Аэрофло́т — Росси́йские авиали́нии", ), commonly known as Aeroflot ( or ; russian: Аэрофлот, , ), is the flag carrier and the largest airline of Russia. The ...
air service between Moscow and
Vladivostok
Vladivostok ( rus, Владивосто́к, a=Владивосток.ogg, p=vɫədʲɪvɐˈstok) is the largest city and the administrative center of Primorsky Krai, Russia. The city is located around the Zolotoy Rog, Golden Horn Bay on the Sea ...
onboard
Ilyushin Il-62
The Ilyushin Il-62 (russian: Илью́шин Ил-62; NATO reporting name: Classic) is a Soviet long-range narrow-body jetliner conceived in 1960 by Ilyushin. As successor to the popular turboprop Il-18 and with capacity for almost 200 pa ...
aircraft.
Post-Soviet era
In 1990, after having signed an agreement in Papua New Guinea for the use of
Ka-32
The Kamov Ka-27 (NATO reporting name 'Helix') is a military helicopter developed for the Soviet Navy, and currently in service in various countries including Russia, Ukraine, Vietnam, China, South Korea, and India. Variants include the Ka-29 a ...
helicopters, Vladivostok Air entered the international arena. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1992, Vladivostok opened to international flights, fueling rapid expansion at Vladivostok Air. During this time period, two
Ilyushin Il-76
The Ilyushin Il-76 (russian: Илью́шин Ил-76; NATO reporting name: Candid) is a multi-purpose, fixed-wing, four-engine turbofan strategic airlifter designed by the Soviet Union's Ilyushin design bureau. It was first planned as a comm ...
cargo aircraft in addition to several
Tupolev Tu-154B-2
The Tupolev Tu-154 (russian: Tyполев Ту-154; NATO reporting name: "Careless") is a three-engined, medium-range, narrow-body airliner designed in the mid-1960s and manufactured by Tupolev. A workhorse of Soviet and (subsequently) Russian ...
aircraft were purchased for use on international routes.
Beginning in 1994, Vladivostok Air was an openly traded stock company, "Vladivostok Air", whose holdings at the time included the airline and Vladivostok International Airport. By 1995, the first long-distance
Tupolev Tu-154
The Tupolev Tu-154 (russian: Tyполев Ту-154; NATO reporting name: "Careless") is a three-engined, medium-range, narrow-body airliner designed in the mid-1960s and manufactured by Tupolev. A workhorse of Soviet and (subsequently) Russian ...
M aircraft were purchased.
On 4 March 1999, the renovated international terminal at
Vladivostok International Airport
Vladivostok International Airport (russian: Международный аэропорт "Владивосток" ''Mezhdunarodnyi aeroport Vladivostok'') is an international airport located near Artyom, Primorsky Krai, Russia, roughly an hour's d ...
was put into operation, allowing for additional flights to Asia and North America.
2000 – 2014
In 2004, Vladivostok Air passed the
IATA Operational Safety Audit
The IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) programme is an internationally recognised and accepted evaluation system designed to assess the operational management and control systems of an airline. IOSA uses internationally recognised quality audit ...
, becoming a full
International Air Transport Association
The International Air Transport Association (IATA ) is a trade association of the world's airlines founded in 1945. IATA has been described as a cartel since, in addition to setting technical standards for airlines, IATA also organized tariff ...
member leading to recognition of Vladivostok Air as a safe and reliable airline.
![Ту-204-300 Владивосток Авиа](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c6/%D0%A2%D1%83-204-300_%D0%92%D0%BB%D0%B0%D0%B4%D0%B8%D0%B2%D0%BE%D1%81%D1%82%D0%BE%D0%BA_%D0%90%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B0.jpg)
In 2005, Vladivostok Air was the first airline in the world to operate the new
Tupolev Tu-204-300 aircraft, a fleet of six was purchased.
The large-scale reconstruction of
Vladivostok International Airport
Vladivostok International Airport (russian: Международный аэропорт "Владивосток" ''Mezhdunarodnyi aeroport Vladivostok'') is an international airport located near Artyom, Primorsky Krai, Russia, roughly an hour's d ...
's domestic terminal was completed in December 2006, increasing passenger comfort, capacity, and growth.
With the help of the
ILFC
The International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC) was an aircraft lessor headquartered in the Constellation Place in Century City, Los Angeles, California, US.
It was the world's largest aircraft lessor by value, though ILFC's rival, General El ...
, Vladivostok Air leased an
Airbus A-320
The Airbus A320 family is a series of narrow-body airliners developed and produced by Airbus.
The A320 was launched in March 1984, first flew on 22 February 1987, and was introduced in April 1988 by Air France.
The first member of the famil ...
on 5 February 2007. It was the first foreign-made aircraft in the Russian Far East; Vladivostok Air flew up to 7 of them.
JSC
Vladivostok International Airport
Vladivostok International Airport (russian: Международный аэропорт "Владивосток" ''Mezhdunarodnyi aeroport Vladivostok'') is an international airport located near Artyom, Primorsky Krai, Russia, roughly an hour's d ...
was separated from Vladivostok Air on 15 February 2008; Vladivostok International Airport was then included in the Russian register of open joint stock companies.
One of the most significant achievements of 2008 was the successful accreditation for compliance with IATA safety requirements (
IOSA
The IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) programme is an internationally recognised and accepted evaluation system designed to assess the operational management and control systems of an airline. IOSA uses internationally recognised quality audit ...
).
[Vladivostok Air Performance](_blank)
. vladivostokavia.ru.
When Vladivostok Air celebrated its 15th anniversary as an open joint stock company on 20 January 2009, it had transformed from a regional carrier into the largest company in the Russian Far East and East Siberia.
Passenger numbers increased to over 900,000 annually because of fleet expansion and modernisation. June 2009 saw the introduction of the first long-haul
Airbus A330
The Airbus A330 is a wide-body aircraft developed and produced by Airbus.
Airbus conceived several derivatives of the A300, its first airliner in the mid-1970s. Then the company began development on the A330 twinjet in parallel with the A340 ...
-300 service, connecting Vladivostok and Moscow, with more A320s and A330s expected to join the fleet between October 2009 and the summer of 2010. Orders for four
Antonov An-148
The Antonov An-148 ( ua, Антонов Ан-148) is a regional jet designed and built by Antonov of Ukraine. Development of the aircraft was started in the 1990s, and its maiden flight took place on 17 December 2004. The aircraft completed its ...
with two options were placed at the
2009 MAKS Airshow.
![Vladivostok Air Airbus A330-300](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bf/Vladivostok_Air_Airbus_A330-300.jpg)
On 28 April 2009, Vladivostok Air received the Wings of Russia 2008 award in the category of "Airline of the Year — Passengers Choice". Vladivostok Air also announced its earnings on 15 July, showing that, despite the recession, passenger traffic had increased by an incredible 36.6%, while passenger capacity was 28.8% higher in the first six months of 2009 than in the first six months of 2008, with the load factor increasing by 9.5%. Vladivostok Air's income was an astounding 38.1% higher for the same period of time in 2009 than in 2008, attributed to fleet network optimization, transition to more fuel efficient aircraft, and to the takeover of
Dalavia
JSC Dalavia (russian: ОАО «Дальавиа»), also known as Dalavia — Far Eastern Airways (russian: Дальавиа «Дальневосточные Авиалинии») was an airline based in Khabarovsk, Russia. It operated sch ...
's Khabarovsk hub.
On 17 July 2009, Vladivostok Air introduced its new online sales system, with the new reservation system allowing purchases with all major credit cards. In addition to the new sales system, passengers were offered three economy fares and one business class fare including "Promo", "Eco", "Eco +" and "Business". "Promo" was the cheapest fare selection, with the bare minimum amenities, while the "Business" fare was the most expensive, with access to all business class amenities.
Vladivostok Air received an additional A320 aircraft on 12 August 2010, bringing the total amount in its fleet to seven. On 18 August, an interline agreement was signed with
United Airlines
United Airlines, Inc. (commonly referred to as United), is a major American airline headquartered at the Willis Tower in Chicago, Illinois. . On 19–20 August, Vladivostok Air successfully passed its second IOSA audit, further maintaining its IATA membership.
Aeroflot acquired a majority stake in Vladivostok Air in November 2011, intending to convert Vladivostok Air into a Far Eastern regional airline and to eliminate its long-haul flights.
Vladivostok Air ended operations on 14 December 2013; along with
SAT Airlines
OJSC "SAT Airlines — Sakhalinskie Aviatrassy" (russian: Сахалинские Авиатрассы), commonly known as SAT Airlines, was an airline based in Sakhalin, Russia. It provided scheduled regional air services in Russia's Far East an ...
, it became the new airline
Aurora
An aurora (plural: auroras or aurorae), also commonly known as the polar lights, is a natural light display in Earth's sky, predominantly seen in high-latitude regions (around the Arctic and Antarctic). Auroras display dynamic patterns of bri ...
. The airline's AOC was revoked by
Rosaviatsia
The Federal Air Transport Agency (russian: Федеральное агентство воздушного транспорта - ''Federalnoye agentstvo vozdushnogo transporta'', ''FAVT''), also known as Rosaviatsiya (russian: Росавиац ...
in .
Destinations
Vladivostok Air operated the following services during December 2012:
Aeroflot
Before the 2011 acquisition, Vladivostok Airlines was a non-alliance affiliate of
Aeroflot
PJSC AeroflotRussian Airlines (russian: ПАО "Аэрофло́т — Росси́йские авиали́нии", ), commonly known as Aeroflot ( or ; russian: Аэрофлот, , ), is the flag carrier and the largest airline of Russia. The ...
, amplifying Aeroflot's network from
Moscow-Sheremetyevo and
Vladivostok
Vladivostok ( rus, Владивосто́к, a=Владивосток.ogg, p=vɫədʲɪvɐˈstok) is the largest city and the administrative center of Primorsky Krai, Russia. The city is located around the Zolotoy Rog, Golden Horn Bay on the Sea ...
.
Codeshare agreements
Vladivostok Airlines had one codeshare and multiple interline agreements with the following airlines in August 2010. Airlines marked with a * indicate interline agreements:
Fleet
![Vladivostok Air A320-200 VP-BEQ PKC 2011-6-13](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1f/Vladivostok_Air_A320-200_VP-BEQ_PKC_2011-6-13.png)
The Vladivostok Air fleet consists of the following aircraft:
The airline took delivery of its first A320 in November 2006 under a lease agreement with the
ILFC
The International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC) was an aircraft lessor headquartered in the Constellation Place in Century City, Los Angeles, California, US.
It was the world's largest aircraft lessor by value, though ILFC's rival, General El ...
. Since the arrival of the first A320, six more have arrived, with the latest delivered in August 2010.
On 6 January 2009,
ILFC
The International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC) was an aircraft lessor headquartered in the Constellation Place in Century City, Los Angeles, California, US.
It was the world's largest aircraft lessor by value, though ILFC's rival, General El ...
announced the airline's lease of three used
Airbus A330-300
The Airbus A330 is a wide-body aircraft developed and produced by Airbus.
Airbus conceived several derivatives of the A300, its first airliner in the mid-1970s. Then the company began development on the A330 twinjet in parallel with the A34 ...
aircraft. The first aircraft was delivered in May 2009, after coming off lease from
Aer Lingus
Aer Lingus ( ; an anglicisation of the Irish , meaning "air fleet" compare Welsh 'llynges awyr') is the flag carrier of Ireland. Founded by the Irish Government, it was privatised between 2006 and 2015 and it is now a wholly owned subsidiary ...
. The lease term was for 7 years. The aircraft entered service on 9 June 2009, flying between Vladivostok and Moscow. The A330 seated 327 people and was mainly used to fly between Vladivostok/Khabarovsk and Moscow. The second A330 was delivered in October 2009, while the third arrived in March 2010.
With an influx of more modern aircraft, like the A320 and Tu-204, Vladivostok Air shifted all remaining Tu-154 aircraft into its reserve and charter fleet.
During
MAKS Airshow 2009, Vladivostok Air signed a precontractual agreement to buy four
Antonov An-148
The Antonov An-148 ( ua, Антонов Ан-148) is a regional jet designed and built by Antonov of Ukraine. Development of the aircraft was started in the 1990s, and its maiden flight took place on 17 December 2004. The aircraft completed its ...
, with options for two more. These regional jets' capacity was 68–85 passengers and they replaced the four aging Yak-40 aircraft. The aircraft were expected to be delivered between 2012 and 2014.
The average age of Vladivostok Air's A320s was 13.4 years, while the A330s' was 15.4 years as of May 2010.
Formerly operated
*
Tupolev-154M
*
Tupolev Tu-204-300
Incidents and accidents
In July 2001,
Vladivostok Air Flight 352
Vladivostok Air Flight 352 was a scheduled passenger flight from Yekaterinburg, Russia to Vladivostok via Irkutsk. On 4 July 2001, the aircraft operating the flight, a Tupolev Tu-154M with tail number RA-85845, lost control, stalled, and cras ...
, a
Tupolev Tu-154
The Tupolev Tu-154 (russian: Tyполев Ту-154; NATO reporting name: "Careless") is a three-engined, medium-range, narrow-body airliner designed in the mid-1960s and manufactured by Tupolev. A workhorse of Soviet and (subsequently) Russian ...
belonging to Vladivostok Air crashed while attempting to land in
Irkutsk
Irkutsk ( ; rus, Иркутск, p=ɪrˈkutsk; Buryat language, Buryat and mn, Эрхүү, ''Erhüü'', ) is the largest city and administrative center of Irkutsk Oblast, Russia. With a population of 617,473 as of the 2010 Census, Irkutsk is ...
, Russia, killing all 145 people aboard. A Russian official said that 12 Chinese died on the flight.
References
External links
Official websiteOfficial website
{{Airlines of Russia
Defunct airlines of Russia
Companies based in Vladivostok
Former Aeroflot divisions
Airlines established in 1932
Aviation in the Russian Far East