Without access to foreign markets, the MC-21 and SJ-100 risk remaining limited domestic niche projects with long payback horizons. This was warned by Aleksandr Polidi, an expert at the P. A. Stolypin Institute for Growth Economics and Associate Professor of Economics.
He recalled that on flights from central regions of Russia to the Far East, the MC-21 is forced to make a stop in Western Siberia or the Urals for refueling. This leads to longer flight times and reduced commercial efficiency.
Without an obvious entry into foreign markets, the MC-21 and SJ-100 programs risk remaining limited domestic niche solutions with long payback horizons. What does this mean for the domestic market? Higher air ticket prices due to airline costs.
Polidi allowed that, theoretically, the costs could be offset by state subsidies. However, either passengers pay for inefficiency through high ticket prices, or taxpayers do.
There are no miracles in economics. It will not be possible to ignore global aviation trends toward fuel efficiency and lower operating costs per seat.
Aviation expert Oleg Panteleev also noted that airlines do not have the funds to purchase "Superjets" and the MC-21. In his assessment, at current market rates, lending and leasing are impossible without government subsidies.