Summary
- Rossiya has nine passenger Boeing 747-400s, now greater than some other carrier
- While it last used the kind on passenger flights a 12 months ago, one is now flying from Moscow to Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk
- Its Boeing 747-400s are among the many highest-density versions left
A part of the Aeroflot Group, Rossiya is again using the Boeing 747-400. It’s temporarily being deployed between Moscow and the Far East city of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. This text has nothing to do with politics or the Ukraine War but every thing to do with aviation and an old and rare type.
The 747 to Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk
Situated 4,140 miles (6,662 km) apart, Rossiya presently has a 10-weekly service between Moscow Sheremetyevo and the Far East Russian city, which is situated across the water from Japan’s Hokkaido. It coexists with Aeroflot’s own 18-weekly operation.
Rossiya’s flights typically use the two-class, 372-seat Boeing 777-300 (non-ER) and the two-class, 457-seat 777-300ER. However the 747 was deployed on the August thirtieth from Moscow (September 1st back), and may also be used on the thirty first out (and the first back).
SU6273 leaves Moscow at 23:05 and arrives in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk at 15:30+1 local. Returning, SU6274 departs at 18:00 and arrives back at 18:45 local. The image below shows the 747’s first departure to the Far East.
Delivered to Japan Airlines in 2000 and previously with Russia’s defunct Transaero, RA-73286 is in a high-density, two-class configuration. Based on the airline’s own information and ch-aviation.com, RA-73286 has 522 seats: 510 in economy and 22 in business.
Among the many highest-density 747-400s left
Obviously, Rossiya is one among the previous few scheduled/charter operators of passenger 747-400s, and the character of where they were used – very leisure-demand routes – dictated so many seats.
Photo: Fasttailwind I Shutterstock.
As compared, other existing 747-400 users have far fewer seats. For instance, Air China’s aircraft have 344, Lufthansa’s has 371, and there are 398 seats in Asiana’s sole remaining example.
Others carriers closer to Rossiya for capability
Mahan Air, Saudia, and Atlas Air aircraft come pretty near Rossiya for capability. Mahan Air has one lively 747-400 (EP-MEE) with 462 seats, mainly flying between Tehran and Dubai, while Saudia uses 465-seat aircraft leased from Air Atlanta Europe for Umrah/Hajj reasons.
Based on ch-aviation.com, Atlas Air has as much as 455-seat 747s utilized by the USAF, although the carrier’s own site says they’ve as much as 528. Whether it is indeed the latter, it surpasses Rossiya’s 747-400 capability.
Otherwise, only one operator has more seats: Nigeria’s Max Air. Acquired to fly to Saudi Arabia for pilgrimage reasons, it has two examples (5N-HMM and 5N-ADM) each with 532 seats. Nonetheless, Flightradar24 shows that they last flew in July 2023. indeed.
What do you make of all of it? Tell us within the comments.