Description
Date of flight: December 22nd 2011
IATA flight number: SU165 / SU166
ICAO flight number / Call-sign: AFL165 / AFL166
Airline: Aeroflot Russian Airlines
Type of aircraft: Airbus A320
Registration / Tail number: VP-BRZ
Destination: Moscow - Sheremetyevo / SVO / UUEE (Russia)
Originator: Zagreb - Pleso / ZAG / LDZA (Croatia)
Aeroflot -
Russian Airlines (Russian: ОАО «Аэрофло́т-Росси́йские авиали́нии», OAO
Aeroflot-Rossiyskiye avialinii) commonly known as Aeroflot
(Russian: Аэрофлот, English translation: "air fleet"), is the flag
carrier and
largest airline of the Russian Federation, based on passengers carried
per
year. Aeroflot operates domestic and international passenger services
covering
a network of 97 cities in 48 countries, mainly from its hub at
Moscow-Sheremetyevo
International Airport.
Aeroflot is one of the oldest airlines in the world, tracing its history
back to 1923. In 1956, it became the first airline to successfully operate
regular jet airliner services with the Tupolev Tu-104 aircraft.
During the Soviet era, Aeroflot was the Soviet national airline and the
largest airline in the world. Following the dissolution of the USSR, Aeroflot
has been transformed from a state-run enterprise into a semi-privatized airline
which ranks amongst the most profitable in the world. Aeroflot is still
considered the de facto national airline of Russia. It is 51%-owned by
the Russian Government, as of June 2011. The company completely owns Donavia
since early 2007, when it boosted its participation in the Rostov-on-Don–based
airline — then-named Aeroflot-Don — from 51% to 100%.
Aeroflot has embarked on a fleet modernization program, extensive route
restructuring, and an image overhaul. The airline joined SkyTeam in April 2006,
becoming the 10th member of the alliance.
