Aeroflot - Soviet Airlines - Details and Fleet History

Aeroflot – Soviet Airlines was the national (and only) carrier in the Soviet Union. It was the largest airline in the world, in its best times, the airline operated 10,000 civil aircraft. By the time of its dissolution Aeroflot had flown almost 250 billion passenger kilometres, more than any other airline in the world. The airline ceased to exist after the Soviet Union had collapsed and formed the basis for more than 300 regional airlines.

[Show Complete History]

Aeroflot was founded on February 25, 1932, when all Russian civil aviation activities were joined in the Central Administration of the Civil Air Fleet – abbreviated Aeroflot. However, already since 1921, aviation industry had operated in Russia, mainly the Deutsch-Russische Luftverkehrs-AG (Deruluft), a German-Russian joint venture.

In 1937, Aeroflot started to operate the international flights Deruluft had operated until then. By the end of that decade, the new airline had already developed into the largest airline in the world, employing more than 400,000 people and operating 4,000 aircraft.

During the whole Soviet era, Aeroflot was virtually the only airline in the Soviet Union. It became known as Aeroflot - Soviet Airlines outside Russia. In September 1956, Aeroflot introduced the Tupolev TU-104 and thus became the first airline in the world to use jetplanes on regular flights.

During the 1950s, international services were expanded, also to Western states like the United Kingdom, Spain, the USA and Canada.

In 1975, Aeroflot first used the Tupolev Tu-144, the first and only Soviet civil supersonic aircraft. It operated mail and passenger flights for some years, before it was retired in 1978, due to unefficiency and technical problems. Although being in use only a short time, it still is the fastest civil aircraft ever built.

In 1976, the 100 millionth passenger was transported. Aeroflot not only performed civil aviation service but also helped the military, the space agency, oil industry, etc. In its best times, the airline operated 10,000 civil aircraft plus hundreds of helicopters and cargo aircraft. Furthermore, it provided the plane for the Soviet leader.

In 1989, Aeroflot joined IATA. By that time, the airline had flown almost 250 billion passenger kilometers.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the Soviet airline ceased to exist and was split up in more than 300 airlines, many of them becoming the national airlines of the newly formed independent states, like for example Air Ukraine and Air Uzbekistan. Also within Russia, many regional airlines were formed. The airline that continued to operate internationally kept the Soviet name; it became Aeroflot - Russian International Airlines and later Aeroflot – Russian Airlines.

[Show Summary]