Russian airline Red Wings experienced significant disruptions and delays in many flights planned for Turkey, resulting in passenger stranded in the airport.
While the immediate cause of the disruptions and delays is attributed to consecutive malfunctions of the company's Boeing 777 aircraft, the primary reason is noted to be the Western sanctions imposed on Russian airlines.
Two planes experienced consecutive malfunctions
Although tour operators may consider such disruptions are normal during high season, experts highlight the additional risks that brought by the sanctions. Two Boeing 777 planes of Red Wings malfunctioning in succession and could not return to normal operations on the fourth day. The most delays occured on WZ-3061, WZ-3062, WZ-3071, and WZ-3072, all of which were between Antalya and Yekaterinburg.
The Russian Investigative Committee announced a criminal investigation against Red Wings for "inadequate service."
"Repair and maintenance of aircraft become more challenging under sanctions"
The controversy surrounding Red Wings, whose plane malfunctioned in Antalya, began when the airline was unable to provide an alternative aircraft for the stranded passengers. Aviation experts emphasized that the core issue was Red Wings' inability to quickly obtain a new air conditioning unit.
CEO of Red Wings, Evgeny Solodin, stated that everything stemmed from a serious emergency. Solodin mentioned that both planes malfunctioned simultaneously, adding, "The airline made every effort to address these malfunctions, but rapid success was not achievable."
Airline had to deal with not only malfunctions but also stranded passengers
While dealing with the challenges of acquiring spare parts under severe sanctions made repairing the aircraft more difficult, Solodin also pointed out the difficulties in addressing the needs of stranded passengers for food and accommodation. Nonetheless, he emphasized that they did not resort to excuses.
Spare part procurement has become both challenging and expensive
Obtaining spare parts has become difficult and costly for Russian airlines
None of the experts speaking to the Russian Tour Operators Association's (ATOR) bulletin ignore the impact of sanctions on Russian air transportation. Obtaining spare parts has become difficult and costly for Russian airlines due to the lack of direct supply from manufacturers. This complicates the process of diagnosing malfunctions, prolongs the time required for spare part procurement, and puts supply companies at risk due to the threat of sanctions.