russians Will Be Forced to Finance the rf’s Aviation Industry Through Higher Ticket Prices

russia is considering the introduction of a new special fee on airline passengers to offset the costs of leasing and operating new russian aircraft. According to preliminary estimates, the fee for domestic flights will range from 500 to 700 rubles, and for international flights – from 1,000 to 2,000 rubles per ticket. In total, the government plans to raise up to 250 billion rubles from citizens in the coming years to cover the enormous gap between the actual cost of domestic aircraft such as the MC-21, SJ-100, and Tu-214 and the preferential prices offered to airlines.

This initiative is yet another indication that the regime is shifting all of the russian economy’s financial problems directly onto the shoulders of ordinary citizens. Due to the large-scale, aggressive war against Ukraine and colossal military expenditures, the rf’s state budget is depleted, so the authorities are resorting to rectifying the situation at the expense of the population. russians are already forced to pay higher taxes (particularly VAT) and unaffordable utility bills, which will rise for the second time this autumn. And now, added to this list are the costs of supporting civil aviation, which has been plunged into crisis by sanctions and a shortage of imported spare parts.

Experts point out that such fees will inevitably lead to a decline in demand for transportation and a drop in overall passenger traffic, as the incomes of most russians remain low. However, instead of funding the modernization of the transportation sector from the federal budget, the kremlin continues to finance its war of aggression against Ukraine. As a result, ordinary russians are forced to pay out of their own pockets for both the military machine and the likely reconstruction of civilian infrastructure, which is being destroyed due to the country’s isolation.