"Should I Stay or Should I Go?"

Six weeks from now, the Renaissance Moscow Monarch Centre Hotel will be hosting the Wings of Russia Aviation Forum, Russia’s major annual airline meeting organized by Russian Associations of Air Transport Operators (the one and only airline association in Russia) and a group of its trusted supporters. The event will be held roughly at the same time and the same venue as last year, and the 10 years before that. So is there any difference? Why go to Moscow?

For a decade now, Russian air transport has been exhibiting steady double-digit growth. Whether you like its development vector or not, it has been and still remains one of the most dynamic air transport markets in the world. It is true that there are quite a number of peculiarities and or specifics you should be aware of and understand in order to be successful on this market, but the sheer scale of business opportunities available in Russia is likely to make studying the local rules and realities worthwhile.

Approximately 100 passenger aircraft have been annually delivered to Russian operators since 2004. Each year, local airlines spend more than $1 billion on MRO services. There is also spending on airline, airport, and MRO personnel. There are massive orders for associated equipment, from flight simulators to a variety of modern IT solutions required to run a successful airline business. There are air transport consultancy and business development services.