Aviation

airBaltic Welcomes Millionth Bombardier CS300 Passenger

Today, April 24, the Latvian airline airBaltic welcomed its millionth passenger traveling on the
brand new Bombardier CS300 aircraft since the launch of commercial operations of the aircraft on
December 14, 2016. The lucky millionth passenger was Santa Klēģere, who arrived at Riga International
Airport on board an airBaltic flight from Paris.

Martin Gauss, Chief Executive Officer of airBaltic: “I am delighted today, together with our partners and
passengers, to celebrate such an important milestone in the modernization of our fleet – the millionth
passenger on our Bombardier CS300 aircraft. Since we became the first airline in the world to start
commercial operations with the Bombardier CS300, we and our passengers have benefited greatly from
the improved flying experience.“
“We are extremely satisfied that our new aircraft have exceeded expectations, and this has been the
best ever entry into service of a new aircraft type for airBaltic. Our team is happy to hear the positive
feedback from customers who appreciate the flying experience and are already asking for additional
CS300 operating on the airBaltic route map,” Gauss adds.

“We are happy to celebrate alongside airBaltic, and are thrilled that the airline has reached yet another
historical milestone with the CS300,” said Ryan DeBrusk, Vice President, Commercial Aircraft Sales –
Europe, Russia and CIS, Bombardier Commercial Aircraft. “airBaltic continues to achieve phenomenal
results with its new fleet of C Series. We congratulate the airline for their one millionth passenger, and
wish our CS300 launch operator continued success.”
Since the launch of commercial operations with the CS300, the airline has completed more than 9 069
flights and flown over 23 603 block hours. Today, every fourth airBaltic passenger flies the CS300
aircraft.
By the end of 2019, airBaltic is planning to have 20 Bombardier CS300 aircraft in its fleet. With an
average jet fleet age of only two years, airBaltic, as an all-Bombardier operator, will have one of the
youngest jet fleets in Europe.
This week, from April 25 till April 27, airBaltic together with Bombardier will participate at the global
aerospace industry exhibition ILA Berlin, where one of airBaltic’s Bombardier CS300 aircraft will be
displayed.

Aviation

Aeroflot Buys Used Planes for Spare Parts Amid Sanctions

In the face of ongoing Western sanctions that have severely impacted Russia’s aviation industry, Aeroflot, the country’s largest airline, has devised a strategic plan to bolster its fleet’s spare parts inventory.

The airline is set to acquire five Boeing 737-800BCF freighters from Atran Airlines, a move that will allow it to dismantle the aircraft for critical components. The planes, which will be transferred to Aeroflot’s low-cost subsidiary Pobeda, will not be converted into passenger jets but instead will be stripped for valuable parts to support existing operations.

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Aeroflot’s plan to purchase these Boeing 737-800BCF freighters comes as part of a broader strategy to mitigate the effects of Western sanctions, which have crippled the Russian aviation sector. With the sanctions restricting access to essential aircraft parts and spare components, Aeroflot is exploring alternative ways to maintain and repair its fleet.

Instead of converting the freighters from cargo to passenger planes, a process deemed “unreasonably expensive” under current sanctions, the airline intends to focus on extracting high-value components such as engines, landing gear, avionics, and other essential systems.

The deal will be structured in a way that allows Aeroflot to indirectly purchase the freighters through an insurance settlement with the aircraft’s lessor, AerCap.

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The Russian government’s insurance company will reimburse the aircraft’s value, and the planes will then be leased back to local operators. This method circumvents some of the restrictions imposed by international sanctions while ensuring that the airline gains access to the necessary components to support its fleet.

By dismantling the aircraft for spare parts, Aeroflot aims to secure critical resources for the ongoing maintenance of its existing fleet. Components from the Boeing 737-800BCF freighters, such as engines and avionics, are expected to be reused in other aircraft within Aeroflot’s network, ensuring that the airline can keep its operations running smoothly