(Photo Airbus/Stefan Kruijer)
S7 AIRLINES will withdraw some of its Airbus A320neo-family aircraft due to issues with the Pratt & Whitney GTF PW1000G engines. Dmitry Yadrov, head of the Russian federal air transport agency Rosaviatsia, announced the news, stating that the airline was unable to repair and maintain the powerplants due to Western sanctions. The airline currently operates 31 A320neos and eight A321neos.
Speaking to the Russian news agency TASS, Yadrov said that the GTF engine issues could impact the country’s overall passenger numbers, which are already forecast to fall by 7% to 98.1 million this year. He said that the final figure will now depend on how many neos S7 decide to remove as “these aircraft carry a significant volume of passengers”. Yadrov added that a more precise number of passengers will be reported in August-September. The Novosibirsk-based airline took delivery of its first Airbus A320neo in July 2017 on lease from BOC Aviation, becoming the first airline in Russia to operate the type. The aircraft are configured in a two-class layout with eight seats in business and 156 in economy. It became the first airframe to wear the airline’s new livery. Meanwhile, its first A321neo arrived in April 2022. These are also fitted in a two-class configuration with eight seats in business and 195 or 203 in economy.