Pobeda’s growth is being held back by fleet capacity rather than demand, with chief executive Dmitry Tyshchuk pointing to the airline’s 42 Boeing 737s as the key constraint on expansion. The Aeroflot Group low-cost carrier carried 6.5 million passengers in the first half of the year, down by about 200,000 from a year earlier, while keeping load factor at 94.4%.
Tyshchuk also said the airline expects to keep its current fleet flying for at least another 10 years, but maintenance and repair costs have climbed sharply, including a rise of about 36% last year. Parts, engine work and repairs have all become more expensive, increasing pressure on operating costs.
Any addition to the fleet would help, and wet leasing was mentioned as one possible option. Without more aircraft, growth would remain limited even if airspace restrictions in southern Russia ease, with internal estimates indicating expansion would still likely be capped at 10% to 15%.