Russia Orders Inspections of 51 Regional Airlines Over Safety Crisis

(RUSSIA) Russia has ordered mass inspections of 51 regional airlines after a deadly run of accidents and mounting claims of poor maintenance and training across the sector. The nationwide push, led by the federal air transport regulator Rosaviatsia and the transport watchdog Rostransnadzor, will run from December 1, 2025, through December 1, 2026.

Officials say the campaign aims to address a deep aviation safety crisis that has seen accident numbers double in recent years, a fatal crash in July 2025, and signs of falsified records and unqualified staff at multiple carriers.

Scope of the Inspections

The inspections will cover maintenance, crew training, flight safety systems, and airworthiness at 51 regional airlines, including:

• Azimuth
• Aurora
• Alrosa
• Angara
• Izhavia
• IrAero
• KrasAvia
• Borus

Authorities say penalties for violations can include revoking operating certificates, a step rarely used at this scale. The scope underscores how far the problems have spread and how urgently Russia wants airlines to meet basic safety rules before further loss of life.

Trigger: The Angara Crash and Rising Accident Numbers

Officials point to the July 2025 crash of an Angara Airlines Antonov An-24 as the immediate trigger. All 48 or 49 people on board died, and investigators later found:

• Systematic falsification of maintenance logs
• Missed airworthiness directives
• Use of unqualified technicians at some operators

This crash followed a sharp rise in incidents:

There have already been four commercial accidents in 2025.

Oversight Plan and Timeline

Rosaviatsia and Rostransnadzor will carry out inspections over 12 months. Teams will review:

• Maintenance records
• Training files
• Parts tracking

They will also test real-world practices to determine:

• Whether aircraft are truly airworthy
• Whether crews trained on schedule
• Whether airlines followed mandatory safety directives

According to officials, results will be used to order fixes, impose fines, or suspend flights. In serious cases, they can ground fleets or pull certificates.

Authorities describe the plan as the most sweeping safety move in decades. It targets regional carriers that rely on older fleets and connect remote communities to larger hubs. While large cities may see limited day-to-day change, many smaller airports could face:

• Tighter schedules
• Temporary route cuts
• Aircraft swaps while airlines complete repairs or training

Rosaviatsia has said the aim is not to punish, but to restore baseline safety before more damage is done. The regulator’s official information is available on the Rosaviatsia website.

What Investigators Say Went Wrong

Investigators point to a combination of factors:

• Aging aircraft: Heavy reliance on Soviet-era types such as the An-24/26 and An-2—many 40–50 years old.
• Sanctions: Reduced access to new Boeing and Airbus jets, certified spare parts, and approved repair shops.
• Improvised maintenance: Use of uncertified or counterfeit parts.
• Regulatory breakdowns: Part-tracking and documentation checks have failed at some operators.
• Falsified records: Logs were sometimes backdated or falsified.
• Weakened training: Loss of access to ICAO- and EASA-certified programs reduced training quality.

The result, officials warn, is a system increasingly disconnected from global oversight, with gaps in pilot proficiency, maintenance quality, and management accountability.

International Reaction

Several civil aviation authorities issued “red-flag” warnings about Russian safety oversight. In particular:

• EASA recommended against flights in parts of Western Russian airspace, citing risks from military activity and weak civil-military coordination.

Those notices pushed many foreign carriers away from the region and increased pressure on local airlines to present a clear plan for safer operations.

Local Impact: Communities and Workers

For families who depend on regional flights to reach hospitals, schools, or jobs, the stakes are high. In remote areas, a parent may have only one or two weekly flights. If an aircraft is grounded for checks or parts, that trip could vanish for weeks.

Short-term effects may include cancellations and delays while airlines adjust. Officials argue the inspections should reduce long-term disruptions by forcing fixes now, though the immediate impact may be painful.

For aviation workers, the message is direct:

• Follow the rules
• Document work properly
• Refuse shortcuts

Investigators reported unqualified technicians at several airlines and logs filled out without actual work done. Inspectors will check training files closely; any sign of falsification could lead to discipline or loss of certificates. Airlines are being told to retrain staff to higher standards, even if that takes time.

Industry Challenges and Analysts’ Warnings

Analysts caution that paperwork checks alone will not solve the problem. Key challenges include:

• Lack of certified parts for many Western-built planes in Russia
• Slow pace of domestic aircraft production (as of October 2025)
• High cost of overhauls for older models

Without changes such as relaxed sanctions or rapid expansion of local production, analysts predict:

• More aircraft withdrawals from service
• Higher accident risks
• Increased reliance on state aid to keep routes alive

Smaller carriers face particularly tough choices. Grounding a single plane for repairs can wipe out thin schedules. Training demands strain limited budgets. Possible responses by airlines include:

• Reducing route networks to focus on safety upgrades
• Seeking government support for parts and training costs

What Travelers Can Expect

Travelers may see more communication from airlines about:

• Aircraft status
• Safety checks
• Schedule changes

Those notices might not prevent the inconvenience of missed flights, but officials want visible updates to show inspections are happening and to mark a clear end date: December 1, 2026.

VisaVerge.com reports that when governments launch broad aviation safety inspections, clear public updates help rebuild trust faster—especially after fatal crashes.

The Broader Goal and Remaining Questions

Russia’s transport authorities say the inspections are intended to reset the industry, not merely catch violations. Success will be judged by:

• Reduced accident rates
• Cleaner maintenance records
• Improved training

Experts caution that lasting improvement requires a steady supply of certified parts and access to internationally recognized training. Without that, airlines may continue to patch older aircraft just to keep them flying.

The inspection drive comes amid global concern about aviation safety. When accidents rise, public faith quickly erodes and can take years to rebuild. This crisis reflects a unique mix of sanctions pressure, aging fleets, and regulatory breakdown.

For now:

• The calendar is set
• Targets are public
• Tools are clear: full compliance checks, possible grounding, and certificate revocations for serious breaches

Whether that will bring accident numbers down from the 2024 peak of 17 and prevent another crash like Angara’s July 2025 tragedy will be measured flight by flight, record by record over the coming year.