I was looking at the list of SU destinations on Wikipedia and noticed GIG and EZE, both shown as starting December 2022. Knowing Wiki is a questionable source, I did an online search and came up with this:

https://en.mercopress.com/2021/11/17/ae ... de-janeiro

Does anyone else have any more information? I assume the route will be combined - SVO-GIG-EZE, and the SVO-GIG sector will be SU's longest route. Also assume it will be flown with an A350.

'902

Have you tried doing a dummy booking on Aeroflot's website ? Did it come up with anything, or did it just show a flight to AMS / CDG / MAD with a codeshare from there to Brazil/Argentina ?

davidjohnson6 wrote:

Have you tried doing a dummy booking on Aeroflot's website ? Did it come up with anything, or did it just show a flight to AMS / CDG / MAD with a codeshare from there to Brazil/Argentina ?

Nothing comes up - but I also assume most airlines schedules for 11 months out are dummy schedules, it may have not been loaded yet if true (I have my doubts). The article also mentions SJO and PUJ. PUJ is already flying, I cannot find any further information for SJO either.

'902

TWA902fly wrote:

davidjohnson6 wrote:

Have you tried doing a dummy booking on Aeroflot's website ? Did it come up with anything, or did it just show a flight to AMS / CDG / MAD with a codeshare from there to Brazil/Argentina ?

Nothing comes up - but I also assume most airlines schedules for 11 months out are dummy schedules, it may have not been loaded yet if true (I have my doubts). The article also mentions SJO and PUJ. PUJ is already flying, I cannot find any further information for SJO either.

'902

TWA902fly wrote:

https://en.mercopress.com/2021/11/17/ae ... de-janeiro

The article in your post is dated Nov 17 2021, and it said "Starting December 1, Aeroflot will serve Argentina, Brazil, Bangladesh, Costa Rica and Mongolia while Russia will lift restrictions on flights to and from Cuba, Mexico and Qatar." in it. Since it's a 2021 article, the "December" in the article would refer to Dec 2021, not Dec 2022. Thus, since SU was not flying to any of the quoted destinations last month, I think it's safe to say that the article was incorrect. SU is not flying to EZE or GIG or SJO or DAC. And there is no other evidence that it's planning to do so.

FWIW, Aeroflot has a codeshare agreement with Aerolineas Argentinas since 2018, linking Buenos Aires and Moscow, via Spain’s capital Madrid. In 2021, the codeshare was expanded to include JFK and MIA as transfer points.

It would be nice to see SU back at EZE with their own metal; but I think there are pretty much zero chances of it for the foreseeable future.

https://www.routesonline.com/news/29/br ... codeshare/

I am not sure SU would actually even start with GIG instead of GRU also due to demand and the opportunity to codeshare with either GOL or AZUL< for example, to reach further destinations. Also, it would not only be SU's longest flight but also one of the longest flights overall. Demand would have to be very high to warrant a services whereas, through their own codeshare agreements and Sky Services Alliance services (AF, KL, etc.) they can reach the area.
It would be great to have SU serving the region but I do not think it is going to happen soon.

Question: Have they ever served South America with their own metal?

Jomar777 wrote:

I am not sure SU would actually even start with GIG instead of GRU also due to demand and the opportunity to codeshare with either GOL or AZUL< for example, to reach further destinations. Also, it would not only be SU's longest flight but also one of the longest flights overall. Demand would have to be very high to warrant a services whereas, through their own codeshare agreements and Sky Services Alliance services (AF, KL, etc.) they can reach the area.
It would be great to have SU serving the region but I do not think it is going to happen soon.

Question: Have they ever served South America with their own metal?

I flew LIM-LUX on an IL62 in 1986. Scheduled service, routed Lima-Havana-Shannon(fuel stop)-LUX-SVO

Transaero announced (not sure if they actually commenced) DME-GIG back in 2010/11 with the 747-400.

Previously Aeroflot served Buenos Aires, Lima, Rio, Santiago and Sao Paulo, flown either via Havana or Sal if I'm remembering correctly. The last service was withdrawn around 20 years ago I think - so it was probably flown with a wide variety of Russian equipment, and possible the A310 too.


Dan

Jomar777 wrote:

Question: Have they ever served South America with their own metal?

Yes they did. In the 1980s and 1990s they served São Paulo and Buenos Aires (Montevideo too, if I remember well) using IL-86 and IL-96.
I guess there were other destinations aswell.
These flights used to tech stop in Recife/Salvador and Cape Verde.

PlymSpotter wrote:

Transaero announced (not sure if they actually commenced) DME-GIG back in 2010/11 with the 747-400.

They actually did, but it was a very short-lived operation.

Jomar777 wrote:

Question: Have they ever served South America with their own metal?

Aeroflot began services to Buenos Aires EZE on 28MAR83, with the then brand new CCCP-86532, an IL-62MK (delivered new to SU on JAN1983). Route was Moscow Sheremetyevo - Berlin Schönefeld - Dakar - Buenos Aires Ezeiza. Aeroflot continued serving EZE via different routes and with different aircraft until 2009. I remember seeing the IL-86 at EZE once or twice. IIRC and due to the IL-86 rather poor range, the route was Moscow - Argel - Ilha do Sal - Salvador - Buenos Aires (I may be missing a stop here...)

Lots of information about Aeroflot's ops in Argentina can be found on here: https://www.gacetaeronautica.com/gaceta/wp-101/?p=36849

In Brazil, SU flew between 1992 and mid 1998, resumed operations in 1999 until 2001. Before that, the Salvador was a technical stop for the Argentina flights.

IIRC, the brazilian operations were initially Rio de Janeiro-Ilha do Sal-Lanarca-Moscow with IL-62, after São Paulo was added as a triangular route SVO-LCA-RAI-GIG-GRU-RAI-LCA-SVO and changed to IL-96. In 1999 the route resumed was São Paulo-Tunis-Moscow.

I think, for a short time, they flew with IL-86.

In the 90s Transbrasil was granted to fly to Moscow, the studies in that time was a stop in AMS or VIE, I don't remeber.

dcajet wrote:

Jomar777 wrote:

Lots of information about Aeroflot's ops in Argentina can be found on here: https://www.gacetaeronautica.com/gaceta/wp-101/?p=36849

A lot of information! Gracias.

SU to DAC - Did they stop for a while?


Allow me to tell a true aviation story. I remember my grandfather on his way to Moscow on a government visit tasking me at the airport (old DAC, now Air Force base) to hurry back and return with his long great coat that he had left behind at home with about 45 minutes to go before boarding call, about a 10 mile road trip back/forth. This would have been the mid 70s, and on the rush back got to avoid airport international and domestic terminal crowds as our driver was flagged and we were redirected through the VIP terminal annex, just a short walk to the aircraft stairs (left side of the aurport building). That was for me a closeup look at a big uncommon aircraft compared to the then common F-27 and B-707 of BG. Coat was delivered to him on board and they closed the doors right after and departed. Loud. Don't recall learning the aircraft type, thinking now it might have been a propeller powered one but could be a jet as well, as it would have had to fly high over the mountains to NNW. A.netters help me on this ?

Few months later he came back, and had the most gorgeous handcrafted chess set ever seen as a gift from his counterparts. Very nice.

boacvc10 wrote:

SU to DAC - Did they stop for a while?


Allow me to tell a true aviation story. I remember my grandfather on his way to Moscow on a government visit tasking me at the airport (old DAC, now Air Force base) to hurry back and return with his long great coat that he had left behind at home with about 45 minutes to go before boarding call, about a 10 mile road trip back/forth. This would have been the mid 70s, and on the rush back got to avoid airport international and domestic terminal crowds as our driver was flagged and we were redirected through the VIP terminal annex, just a short walk to the aircraft stairs (left side of the aurport building). That was for me a closeup look at a big uncommon aircraft compared to the then common F-27 and B-707 of BG. Coat was delivered to him on board and they closed the doors right after and departed. Loud. Don't recall learning the aircraft type, thinking now it might have been a propeller powered one but could be a jet as well, as it would have had to fly high over the mountains to NNW. A.netters help me on this ?

Few months later he came back, and had the most gorgeous handcrafted chess set ever seen as a gift from his counterparts. Very nice.

Well, Aeroflot and other communist bloc airlines such as Interflug and ČSA used the IL-18 turboprop well into the 70s to serve destinations both in Asia and Africa. It was not uncommon to see them as far away as Vietnam or Angola or Mozambique. I am certain it could have not been the Tu-114, as those were gone from passenger services early in the 70s, retired due to fatigue cracks in the fuselage.

dcajet wrote:

Well, Aeroflot and other communist bloc airlines such as Interflug and ČSA used the IL-18 turboprop well into the 70s to serve destinations both in Asia and Africa.

Thank you @dcajet, must have been IL-18 type. Looking at at a random photograph of that type : it jogs my memory now that it is what I probably saw from the ground level within 200 feet of the ramp from the VIP terminal security gate leading to the apron as I remember the the airline logo letters quite large and the same colors, the props were huge, the engine profile leading the wings was very sleek, and I could see they were staggered following the leading edge. The stairs were still parked while some of the engines had started turning and the ground crew rushed across the tarmac to deliver the great coat up the stairs, and it was then time to go. Wow that was many years ago!

x1234 wrote:

Aeroflot now fly to CUN, HAV, VRA and PUJ in the Caribbean and all VISA free countries for Russian citizens. There isn't a large amount of traffic to Latin America aside from Cuba for Russia. Code-shares via JFK, MIA, LAX, IAD, MAD, CDG, AMS and LHR are the way to go. Aeroflot should instead pursue opportunities in Asia like SIN, BOM and KIX which they announced a few months ago but delayed due to COVID.

In Latin America & the Caribbean SU only flies to points where Russians go on holidays and some legacy USSR traffic to Cuba. In fact, most of South America is visa free for Russians (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela to name just a few) yet none of these countries currently see Aeroflot flights simply because there is very little demand for travel to Russia and what little there is can be served via codeshares. The only partial exception has been Venezuela, that has recently seen Russian charters at Isla Margarita/Porlamar PMV, but none of these are on SU, but on leisure airlines such as Nordwind.

From Argentina and Brazil, both Ethiopian and Turkish also offer great fares to Moscow via ADD and IST.

PB26 wrote:

In Brazil, SU flew between 1992 and mid 1998, resumed operations in 1999 until 2001. Before that, the Salvador was a technical stop for the Argentina flights.

Not only Salvador.
Recife was also a tech stop for them, using the IL-86.

dcajet wrote:

x1234 wrote:

Aeroflot now fly to CUN, HAV, VRA and PUJ in the Caribbean and all VISA free countries for Russian citizens. There isn't a large amount of traffic to Latin America aside from Cuba for Russia. Code-shares via JFK, MIA, LAX, IAD, MAD, CDG, AMS and LHR are the way to go. Aeroflot should instead pursue opportunities in Asia like SIN, BOM and KIX which they announced a few months ago but delayed due to COVID.

In Latin America & the Caribbean SU only flies to points where Russians go on holidays and some legacy USSR traffic to Cuba. In fact, most of South America is visa free for Russians (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela to name just a few) yet none of these countries currently see Aeroflot flights simply because there is very little demand for travel to Russia and what little there is can be served via codeshares. The only partial exception has been Venezuela, that has recently seen Russian charters at Isla Margarita/Porlamar PMV, but none of these are on SU, but on leisure airlines such as Nordwind.

From Argentina and Brazil, both Ethiopian and Turkish also offer great fares to Moscow via ADD and IST.

Understand SU has a code agreement with AR connecting pax in MAD & MIA

kimbra wrote:

dcajet wrote:

x1234 wrote:

Aeroflot now fly to CUN, HAV, VRA and PUJ in the Caribbean and all VISA free countries for Russian citizens. There isn't a large amount of traffic to Latin America aside from Cuba for Russia. Code-shares via JFK, MIA, LAX, IAD, MAD, CDG, AMS and LHR are the way to go. Aeroflot should instead pursue opportunities in Asia like SIN, BOM and KIX which they announced a few months ago but delayed due to COVID.

In Latin America & the Caribbean SU only flies to points where Russians go on holidays and some legacy USSR traffic to Cuba. In fact, most of South America is visa free for Russians (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela to name just a few) yet none of these countries currently see Aeroflot flights simply because there is very little demand for travel to Russia and what little there is can be served via codeshares. The only partial exception has been Venezuela, that has recently seen Russian charters at Isla Margarita/Porlamar PMV, but none of these are on SU, but on leisure airlines such as Nordwind.

From Argentina and Brazil, both Ethiopian and Turkish also offer great fares to Moscow via ADD and IST.

Understand SU has a code agreement with AR connecting pax in MAD & MIA

Correct. And JFK too.

There is very little demand for both Brazil and Argentina by Russian passengers, just because they consider Latin America too far away and too complicated to get there. Venezuela or Cuba are the easiest, because of nonstop flights, no vaccines asked, and all inclusive. Russians, after such a long flight, need a well deserved AI resort, not important where (if beach or mountains) as long as it as enough alcohol.
I've flown the Moscow Buenos Aires more than 15 times, using all the connections possible: ZRH, FRA, LHR, CDG, AMS, MAD, JFK, MIA, IST (and my parents tried also the DOH, DXB, BCN and FCO options). I've always wanted to do the HAV connection but CU flights to EZE are VERY erratic, and impossible to buy as a foreigner (currency controls I've been told).

Of all those, the best was BA via LHR, because it was a very pleasant connection in LHR, and both segments were in 777. The worse was CDG (A319 for SVO-CDG was a nightmare, with only ONE restroom).
If SU would start flights to GRU or GIG, at least for me it would make no sense, as instead of connecting in a hot and dirty airport as GIG, I'd rather do it in a smart airport such as ZRH or FRA.

If I'm not mistaken the flights between EZE and SVO lasted between 1983 and 2002. Stops varied over the years, but at some points it was BUD, SXF and LUX, SNN (as of Europe), ALG and SID (of Africa) and REC, GIG and GRU (South America). The flight at one point continued to MVD and/or SCL but it was very short lived. I don't believe the flight from HAV ever got to Buenos Aires. The route was, at some point, SVO-SNN-YMX-HAV-LIM. But never HAV-xxx-EZE.