Business overview / Route network

Passenger route network

In 2012 Aeroflot’s route network included 145 destinations in 55 countries. The route network developed rapidly during the reporting period, flight frequency and number of destinations increased, while main operating indicators were on a positive trend. The Company raised efficiency of the route network by focusing on destinations that provide maximum revenue and income. Decisions to launch services to new destinations and to increase carrying capacities on existing routes were based on economic expediency, demand, competitive environment, and social needs. The development of regular services was given priority.

In 2012 Aeroflot added new regular routes to its network: from Moscow to Guangzhou (China), Bologna (Italy), Krakow (Poland), Stuttgart (Germany), Tenerife (Spain) Tallinn (Estonia), Vilnius (Lithuania), Miami (USA), Nizhnekamsk, Orenburg, Tomsk (Russia), Kiev, Donetsk, Kharkiv and Odessa (Ukraine); and also from Ekaterinburg to Larnaca (Cyprus). In addition, charter flights were opened from Moscow to Bergamo (Italy) Patras (Greece), Murcia (Spain), Reykjavik (Iceland), Turin (Italy), Varna (Bulgaria) and Jerez (Spain).

New regular services by subsidiary airlines of Aeroflot Group were as follows : from Moscow to Chita; from Sochi to Ekaterinburg and Volgograd; from Khabarovsk to Krasnoyarsk; from St. Petersburg to Alicante (Spain), Kazan (Russia), Nukus, Navoi (Uzbekistan), Pula (Croatia), Rhodes (Greece), Tenerife (Spain); from Novosibirsk to Khabarovsk; from Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk to Tokyo (Japan); and from Vladivostok to Blagoveshchensk and Tashkent (Uzbekistan).

Change in the numbers of flights by JSC Aeroflot to various regions
(2012 vs. 2011, %)

Change in the numbers of flights by JSC Aeroflot to various regions (2012 vs. 2011, %)

In 2013 Aeroflot plans to start flights on new regular routes to Abakan, Novokuznetsk, Magnitogorsk, Yakutsk (Russia), Thessaloniki (Greece), and to resume flights to Toronto (Canada).

Reacting to a significant increase in demand for carriage in 2012 the company increased its carrying capacity (available seat-kilometers) by 19.7% in comparison with 2011.

The network connection coefficient for Aeroflot’s own flights increased by 17.2% in 2012 to 11.0 (9.4 in 2011).




Number of destinations

Description 2011 2012
Regular flights Charter flights Total Regular flights Change Charter flights Change Total Change
Total 112 44 143 128 14.3% 37 -15.9% 145 1.4%
International routes 83 31 100 95 14.5% 30 -3.2% 110 10.0%
Domestic routes 29 13 33 33 13.8% 7 -46.2% 35 6.1%
Long-haul routes 27 5 26 29 7.4% 1 -80.0% 29 11.5%
Medium-haul routes 85 39 107 99 16.5% 36 -7.7% 116 8.4%

Distribution of available seat-kilometers by regions

Region Available seat-kilometers, million ASK Change, %
2012 2011
Asia 12,914 10,900 +18.5
Africa 227 261 -13
Middle East 4,564 3,702 +23.3
Europe 16,940 13,971 +21.3
Pacific 1,647 1,371 +20.1
Russia 19,293 16,685 +15
North America 4,158 3,145 +32.2
Central America 2,014 1,632 +23.4
CIS 3,120 2,528 +23.4
Total 64,878 54,195 +19.7

Aeroflot transit passenger flows within its route network increased by

35.7 %

in 2012 to 5.7 million passengers.

Aeroflot is working hard to develop transit business. Aeroflot’s main transit passenger flows are between destinations in South-East Asia (China, Japan, Vietnam, Thailand, South Korea) and destinations in Europe, Russia and the CIS.

By expanding its route network, reducing time spent by passengers at connection airports on priority routes, and making connections at Terminals D, E, F of Sheremetyevo Airport more convenient, Aeroflot succeeded in increasing transit passenger flows within its route network by 35.7% in 2012 to 5.7 million passengers, which is 32.6% of the total number of passengers carried.

In 2012 Aeroflot launched a Hub Control Center, which is unique of its kind in Russia and Eastern Europe. The Center’s objectives are to coordinate transit connections for passengers and baggage and to manage aircraft traffic at Sheremetyevo Airport.

The Center employs highly qualified specialists from the Company’s key divisions. Aeroflot has installed the cutting-edge NetLine/Hub IT solution by Lufthansa Systems to provide software support for operations at the Center.

The Hub Control Center reduces financial losses due to missed connections or flight delays. By reducing the minimum connection time by 10 minutes the Company has generated additional monthly revenue of USD 5 million. The Center makes the travel experience more comfortable for passengers, as connection time is significantly reduced and passengers with critical connection time can be sure of catching their connecting flight even if their first flight is delayed.

Launch of the Hub Control Center reinforces Aeroflot’s leading positions on the market and represents a major step towards the creation of a modern global hub in Moscow.

The Company worked hard in 2012 to obtain new route permits from Russian regulatory authorities. During the reporting period Rosaviatsia issued Aeroflot with:

With the support of the Civil Aviation Department of the Russian Ministry of Transport and the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs JSC Aeroflot was designated as a regular carrier on 17 routes between:

Cooperation under codeshare agreements

Aeroflot further developed its cooperation with a number of other airlines in 2012 under codeshare agreements in order to strengthen presence on promising markets, obtaining access to restricted markets, further enhance the existing route network, and use its fleet more efficiently.

By the beginning of 2013 JSC Aeroflot had codeshare agreements with 29 foreign and Russian airlines, including:

Aeroflot’s main codeshare partners in 2012 included the foreign airlines Alitalia, Air France, Czech Airlines, KLM, LOT and Russian carriers OJSC Rossiya Airlines, JSC Vladivostok Air, JSC Donavia and CJSC Nordavia. JSC Aeroflot carried more than 500,000 passengers in total under codeshare agreements in 2012, which is 11% more than in 2011. Total operating revenues of JSC Aeroflot related to code-sharing agreements were in excess of RUB 3.7 billion last year.

The number of marketing flights used by Aeroflot rose by 33.3% in 2012 to 248 (186 in 2011), and the number of Aeroflot’s marketing passengers carried by partners under codeshare agreements in 2012 exceeded 3.2 million. The growth was mainly driven by joint efforts with SkyTeam partners to increase the number of codeshare destinations beyond partners’ hubs under existing codeshare agreements, and also by new joint operation agreements and extension of existing agreements with subsidiary and affiliate airlines.

In 2013 the Company plans to enter into сodeshare agreements with Royal Air Maroc, Garuda Airlines, Middle East Airlines, and to further develop cooperation under existing agreements.

Membership of the SkyTeam global airline alliance

Aeroflot’s membership of the SkyTeam Alliance means that its passengers can plan journeys throughout the vast route network served by SkyTeam airlines. In 2012 JSC Aeroflot carried 684,000 passengers and 1.1 million tonnes of cargo as part of joint operations with other SkyTeam members.

The global route network of the Alliance expanded by 17% in 2011–2012. New members of the Alliance in 2012 included Saudia, Middle East Airlines, Aerolineas Argentinas and Xiamen Airlines. SkyTeam currently unites 19 airlines serving more than 1000 destinations around the world.

The SkyTeam alliance made significant progress during 2012 in strategic projects, including “Sky Transfer Accelerator”, which aims to improve service to passengers during transfers, “Sky Link Sprint”, a unified information platform for Alliance members, “Sky Port” which harnesses Alliance operations at airports, and “Sky Priority”, a new product for high-revenue passengers.

Interline agreements

Aeroflot has interline agreements with 172 airlines, including 9 Russian carriers and 9 companies from the CIS. In 2012 interline agreements with 11 airlines were terminated, due mainly to mergers and acquisitions. The Company carried over 500,000 passengers under interline agreements on its own flights and flights of partners during the reporting period.

Cargo route network

The route network for cargo carrying by Aeroflot uses a hub principle, by which the Company tries to channel main cargo flows between hub airports. Aeroflot’s cargo hubs in 2012 included Sheremetyevo, Frankfurt-Hahn (Frankfurt, Germany), Narita International (Narita, Japan), Incheon International (Seoul, South Korea), Beijing Capital International (Beijing, China), Pudong International (Shanghai, China) and Hong Kong International (Hong Kong). The base airport for Aeroflot’s MD-11 cargo aircraft remains Frankfurt-Hahn.

The Company optimized its cargo network in 2012, increasing flight frequency on most profitable routes. The number of flights to Hong Kong was increased from 2–3 to 3–5 per week (depending on the season). The Company plans to further improve its cargo business by increasing the frequency of flights on established routes.

List of main routes for MD-11 cargo aircraft in 2012: