Aeroflot Sends Aircraft to Iran for Repair for the First Time

Aeroflot, amidst Western sanctions, has sent its aircraft to Iran for repair for the first time in history.

The national airline has dispatched an aircraft to Tehran, as reported by RBC, citing two sources close to the airline and a company representative.

The aircraft in question is an Airbus A330-300 with the registration RA-73700. It will be serviced by technical specialists from Iran's largest carrier, Mahan Air. “The capabilities of the Iranian companies in the field of aircraft maintenance and repair will supplement the resources of the Aeroflot group,” said a representative of the Russian airline.

Previously, Aeroflot had relied on other providers, notably HAECO services operating in Hong Kong. However, in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the US and EU countries banned the servicing of Russian airline aircraft and the supply of spare parts.

To obtain the necessary maintenance parts, Aeroflot has sent at least 25 of its aircraft for “cannibalization,” where functional parts are removed to be reinstalled in other aircraft instead of using spare parts from manufacturers who have refused to work with Russia.

After losing access to maintenance abroad, Aeroflot announced plans to establish a national center for technical support for operators of Russian Airbus and Boeing aircraft. It was anticipated that former employees of Western manufacturers would work there. Aeroflot Technics has become such a center, conducting periodic maintenance on over 300 types of aircraft in 2022.