Catastrophic air collision on July 5-6 set to impose 20 billion rubles loss upon airlines
In recent aviation industry disruptions, the cancellation of a single Boeing 737-800 aircraft, carrying approximately 158 passengers, could cost an airline between 15-23 million rubles, according to Andrei Patrakov, founder of RunAvia. This figure takes into account airport services, crew costs, fuel, and lost revenue.
The cost per hour of such a cancellation or significant delay is estimated to be around **270,000 to 350,000 Russian rubles**, as detailed by aviation research source Air Collapse. This includes airport service fees, crew costs, fuel costs, and lost revenue from unsold seats, plus potential compensation or penalties under passenger rights regulations.
The financial implications of flight cancellations were evident during the disruptions at three major Russian airports—Sheremetyevo, Pulkovo, and Strigino—on July 5-6. These cancellations resulted in losses of 4-6 billion rubles for the airlines, based on flight cancellations alone.
The call for a clear protocol to manage exceptional situations is similar to a proposal for a one-stop shop for managing such situations. This would streamline the process and potentially reduce costs associated with cancellations and delays.
However, it's important to note that these costs can vary depending on the specific airline, route, and configuration of the aircraft. The calculations provided by Mr. Patrakov assume an Aeroflot configuration of 20 business class and 138 economy class seats on the Boeing 737-800 aircraft.
The proposal also suggests indirect state support for small airlines to prevent bankruptcy, but the source of this support is not specified. Furthermore, the implementation of the one-stop shop remains unclear.
Rosaviatsiya reported that 287 flights were canceled and 106 were delayed at the mentioned airports during this period. Kommersant, a Russian newspaper, reported these losses based on sources and experts in the aviation industry.
While the exact breakdown of each cost component is proprietary and may vary, the total hourly impact reflects the typical cost burden an airline faces under these circumstances, emphasizing the significant financial impact of cancellations on Russian airlines operating Boeing 737-800s configured like Aeroflot's.
Passenger associations are advocating for improved protocols and support mechanisms to mitigate the financial impact of such disruptions. However, the aviation industry's response to these proposals remains to be seen.
In the context of potential industry protocols for managing exceptional situations, the one-stop shop proposal could potentially reduce costs associated with cancellations and delays, especially for businesses in the aerospace and finance sectors, as the financial implications of flight cancellations are significant, as demonstrated by the losses of 4-6 billion rubles for Russian airlines during the disruptions at three major airports. Furthermore, the cost per hour of such cancellations or significant delays can reach up to 350,000 Russian rubles, according to aviation research source Air Collapse.
