Tag: airline

10 Aeroflot Facts You Should Know

Aeroflot is one of the oldest and most interesting airlines in the world. The airline has a colorful history of almost 100 years in operation, and has seen itself rise from a small airline to a mammoth airline with thousands of aircraft flying the skies of Russia and the world.

Dobrolet

Aeroflot was created in 1923 shortly after the Civil War in Russia. The initial name of the airline was “Dobrolet”, which means “Good Flying” in Russian. It wasn’t until the early 1930’s that the airline changed its name to Aeroflot.

First Routes

The first international route of Aeroflot was to the German city of Konigsberg (now the Russian city of Kaliningrad). The first domestic flight was between Moscow and Nizhniy Novgorod.

First Planes

The first aircraft in the fleet of Dobrolet/Aeroflot were not Russian built planes, but actually German built Junkers F-13 aircraft. It wasn’t until the early 1930’s that Russia began to develop their own aircraft which would replace the German Junkers planes.

Only Operating Jetliner

In 1956, Aeroflot launched services from Moscow to Irkutsk using the brand new jet engine aircraft, the Tupolev TU-104. From the time period of 1956 until 1958, the Tu-104 was the only jet engine aircraft operating in the world, due to the grounding of the British de Havilland DH-106 (the Comet), due to safety concerns after a few crashes.

Soviet Monopoly Joke

During the 1960’s, the Advertising and Information Office for Aeroflot was created. The office created the official slogan “Fly Aeroflot!” to promote the airline within Russia. However, this created a popular joke among the citizens, as there was no competition for Aeroflot within Russia, as they were the sole airline to operate in the Union. The actual reason behind this marketing campaign was to convince travelers to use planes over trains, which was Aeroflot’s main competitor at that time.

A Massive Fleet

At one time, Aeroflot operated over 2,000 aircraft in its fleet. The aircraft varied from tiny Antonov An-2 cropdusters and Mil-Mi Helicopters, to the large Illyushin Il-86 four engine aircraft and the Tupolev Tu-144 supersonic jet.

World Record Holder

During the 1980’s, Aeroflot carried more than 120 million passengers each year. This was a record set for the Guiness Book of World Records, and has never been beaten.

Banned from the United States

From 1983 until 1990, Aeroflot was banned from flying to the United States due to an executive order signed by then President Ronald Reagan. This order was signed in retaliation for the Soviet Union shooting down a Korean Airlines Boeing 747 (Flight 007) while flying over prohibited airspace in the Soviet Union. This ban was lifted in 1990 when the Soviet Union dissolved and the Russian Federation was created.

Babyflots

During the early 1990’s when the Soviet Union was dissolving, the massive airline Aeroflot was broken up into smaller regional/national airlines in their respective post-Soviet countries. Some examples are Bashkirian Airlines, Krasnoyarsk Airlines, Tatarstan Airlines, etc.

Flying Supersonic

Aeroflot is one of only (3) airlines in the world to operate a supersonic aircraft in service, with the other two residing in Europe (British Airways and Air France). Aeroflot flew the Tupolev Tu-144 in 1975 and was flying regularly between Moscow and Alma Ata (Kazakhstan) until discontinued in 1978. The Tu-144 was troubled from the beginning and

About the Author: The Travel Wolf

The Travel Wolf (a.k.a. John) is a freelance aviation/airline writer, frequent traveler and avid airline enthusiast. I feel most at home when I am 30,000 feet in the air and watching the clouds from above. I love the smell of jet exhaust in the morning!

Ultra Low Cost Airlines vs Legacy Airlines. Which Is Best?

A common question that our readers ask us is “Which airline is better? An Ultra Low Cost Airline or a Legacy Airline.”

The short answer we respond with is that is depends on both your budget and scheduling needs. I will compare both types of airlines and break down the differences between them.

About the Author: The Travel Wolf

The Travel Wolf (a.k.a. John) is a freelance aviation/airline writer, frequent traveler and avid airline enthusiast. I feel most at home when I am 30,000 feet in the air and watching the clouds from above. I love the smell of jet exhaust in the morning!

The Ultimate Airline Tail Quiz

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About the Author: Clayton Stevens

Clayton is a freelance airline and travel writer. His travels have taken him around the world to 6 continents and 39 countries. In his free time he enjoys bike riding, blogging, and spending time with family and friends. Thank you for taking the time to read our articles today on UltraFlyer.com.

A Curious Routing. You Can Now Fly From St. Vincent’s (SVD) to Dubai (DXB)

Dubai offers nonstop flights to almost every major city in the world, and they are about to add another city to the map. The tiny Caribbean island nation of St. Vincent’s and the Grenadines (SVD). However, the route won’t be flown by Emirates, but by a tiny charter operator named One Caribbean.

One Caribbean is a charter airline based in Argyle Int’l Airport (SVD) and operates small 19 seat Beechcraft 1900 aircraft. The news of a tiny charter operator starting new services with an aircraft as large as the Boeing 747-400 has been raising some eyebrows around the airline industry.

The entire nation of St. Vincent’s and the Grenadines only consists of a population of 110,000 people. Hardly enough to sustain 747 services, unless it would be something along the lines of a once weekly charter flight to/from Europe (i.e. London).

It will be interesting to see how this airline performs. Based on a local news article, the government is in full support of the airline, so hopefully that helps keep them afloat as they learn how to best handle their new queen of the sky.

About the Author: Clayton Stevens

Clayton is a freelance airline and travel writer. His travels have taken him around the world to 6 continents and 39 countries. In his free time he enjoys bike riding, blogging, and spending time with family and friends. Thank you for taking the time to read our articles today on UltraFlyer.com.