Airbus A320-200

Russia Weighs Passenger Fees of Up to 1000 Rubles to Fund Domestic Aircraft Leasing

Russian authorities are discussing a new surcharge on air tickets to cover leasing and operating costs of locally produced planes. The proposed fees range from 500 rubles on domestic flights to 1000 rubles on international routes, with some sources mentioning higher figures of 700 and 2000 rubles respectively. The initiative involves the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, and Rostec, though no final decisions on amounts or collection methods have been made. Revenue estimates suggest the measure could generate 68 to 84 billion rubles annually based on 2025 passenger volumes, with total collections targeted at 200-250 billion rubles between 2027 and 2030. Funds would subsidize the gap between high production costs of models such as the MC-21 and SJ-100 and the discounted prices offered to airlines, while also addressing elevated maintenance and fuel expenses. Officials expect serial production after 2030 to lower costs and eliminate the need for the surcharge, yet experts caution that added fees risk raising ticket prices and reducing overall passenger traffic.