Volga-Dnepr will suspend its Boeing 747 pilots

With the lockout posed by Western sanctions on Russia, the Putin-led country’s aviation industry has faced several challenges that have put any plans for growth in check. The latest example of this situation is that Russia’s renowned Volga-Dnepr Group is to ground its more than 200 Boeing aircraft pilots.

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The cuts will directly affect two of the company’s airlines: AirBridgeCargo (ABC) and Atran. According to a report by our partner AEROIN, employees received telegrams informing them of the situation at the end of July.

A spokesman for the Volga-Dnepr Group confirmed the move on the grounds that «the company’s resources are not unlimited. Optimization of the number of employees is a necessary measure for survival. It is being carried out in stages up to the dismantling of the fleet.»

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Western sanctions have hit the group’s operation on several fronts. First, it cannot obtain spare parts, as the U.S. government has halted all exports to the country. In addition, it cannot fly to its main markets. To top it off, it cannot pay the lessors of its aircraft.

While ABC and Atran have been directly affected, the group’s leading carrier, Volga-Dnepr Airlines, has emerged unscathed, as it doesn’t own Boeing aircraft. This airline only uses Antonov An-124 and Ilyushin Il-76 aircraft. Nonetheless, Volga has already seen several aircraft stranded in Western countries. It is also facing operational difficulties, having lost access to some of its key customers in Western countries.

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In order to stay afloat, the company is considering using Russian aircraft as alternatives. Among other plans, it is considering introducing veteran Il-76s and Il-96s to the flight line.