Russian low-cost airline Pobeda, a wholly owned subsidiary of airline giant Aeroflot, was unable to obtain the necessary permits for flights to 100 countries: Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Spain, Israel, Italy, France, Cuba, Jordan, Latvia, Estonia, the Netherlands, and Hungary. The relevant information is posted on the official website of the Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsia).
The document notes that the low-cost airline planned to use this permit from September 17, 2015 to May 14, 2016.
"Refuse to issue a permit due to non-compliance""," the document states. Under this wording, the company was denied individual permits to operate flights to Hungary, France, Belarus, Germany, and Slovakia.
Pobeda Airlines had hoped to launch flights to Germany and Italy in its winter schedule. To this end, the low-cost carrier petitioned the Russian Ministry of Transport to amend the Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR) so that any new airline would have at least two years of domestic operations to qualify for international flights.
Pobeda Airlines, part of the Aeroflot Group, began ticket sales in November 2014. By the end of 2015, it plans to carry 2,8-3,2 million passengers. By 2018, the fleet is expected to consist of approximately 40 aircraft, and annual passenger traffic will reach 10 million, placing the company among the top five largest airlines in Russia. The carrier currently operates 11 Boeing 737-800s.
