Aeroflot wants to oblige the airline to buy domestic aircraft

The largest Russian carrier Aeroflot (MOOEX: AFLT) advocated the mandatory purchase of aircraft of domestic aircraft if they get access to foreign liners. In Rostec, the probability of the return of Western aircraft is regarded as a fantastic one, the experts say that protectionism measures are needed, but it is necessary to take into account the state of the aircraft industry.

Aeroflot general director Sergei Alexandrovsky proposed to regulate the ratio of Russian and Western aircraft in airline parks if they gain access to foreign aircraft (Sun). The top manager told about this in an interview with Kommersant.

The number of Russian aircraft binding on the purchase and other details, according to him, require analysis and study, but « the order should extend to all Russian airlines and to the entire line of the Armed Forces. » As Mr. Alexandrovsky noted, this measure will ensure the return of the state investment in aircraft construction and accelerated treatment of « childhood diseases » of new aircraft.

The “Kommersant” private airlines refrained from comments.

Messages about the possible resume of foreign aircraft in the Russian Federation, in particular Boeing, appeared in February this year. First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov then said that Western producers of aircraft “just take and return as they just took and went out, it will not work out”, and the authorities will look for a compromise so that the Russian airlines “purchase Russian planes”.

The interlocutor of Kommersant, which is close to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, noted that « the issue of protecting the interests of industry does not lose relevance, but specific measures can be discussed only after the framework of resolving relations with the West runs out. »

Kommersant sources in the aviation industry included in the list of protection of the duty -free import of foreign aircraft, as well as the permits of the right -to -committee of any import of aircraft, including those received in the “wet lysing” and purchased in the secondary market. Although Kommersant sources in the airlines doubt that any protection measures can be introduced before the aircraft industry reaches large-scale serial production. In the Ministry of Industry, they did not comment on the situation.

Kommersant Rostec said that the only attractive proportion for the domestic aircraft industry is 100% of Russian aircraft in airline parks. The state corporations will “test this indicator” progressively, but it is assumed that at the transitional stage the proportion of foreign aircraft may be large and should decrease as foreign aircraft display of operation. The task set by the president is to provide by 2030 a share of domestic aircraft in airlines at least 50%, they reminded there.

The script in which foreign car manufacturers will return access to our market in Rostec, “looks fantastic and not too patriotic.”

At the current stage, the issue of resuming supplies looks like “the skin of a bear that has not yet come to us,” says Andrei Kramarenko, senior researcher at the Higher School of Transport Institute of Transport. According to him, there is no understanding when restrictions can be removed and how ready to allow foreign companies. “If there are no discussions with the supply of spare parts and maintenance, then there are different points of view on the resumption of the supply of aircraft in the government,” he notes. Mr. Kramarenko continues his versions, there is both in the Ministry of Industry and Trade and Rostec, and the Ministry of Transport with air carriers, who « still remember how simple and pleasant to exploit Western planes. » Taking into account the volume of investment investment in the aviation industry, the elaboration of demand guarantees looks a logical step, he points out. The balance between protectionism and the needs of the airlines will depend on the state in which the domestic aircraft industry will be, by the time of opening the markets, is concluded by Mr. Kramarenko.

Before restoring relations with the Global West, the supply of foreign technology from the primary market is objectively impossible, says Oleg Panteleev, Executive Director of Aviaport. And the option of deliveries from the secondary market, he adds, « very complex and not always justified. » The issue of protectionist measures, the expert believes, should also be considered from the point of view of the prospects for the withdrawal of Russian equipment to foreign markets.

As Mr. Panteleev notes, the practice of the last decade showed that if the country establishes too serious protectionist restrictions, then it receives retaliatory measures, including through the WTO line. But now, he points out, the former appearance of international trade is destroyed and, possibly, establishing protective barriers against the penetration of Western production techniques in the Russian Federation, « we will be able to delightly supply planes to markets closed to Western equipment. » At the same time, the expert emphasizes, the revision of customs duties will require coordination with other EAEU countries, which a number of members of the Union may be opposed to the sanctions and are not ready to abandon Boeing and Airbus.

Aigul Abdullina