The Tu-214 medium-range airliner, revived in Kazan, remained in the same state as it was 30 years ago, unlike its competitors Boeing 737 and Airbus A320. This conclusion was reached by the publication "Business Online".
During all this time, the Kazan airliner has not undergone modernization and has not sought to expand its market niche for transportation. Ideally, the aircraft needs to be lightened by 5–6 tons, and the number of passengers should also be increased.
Stanislav Ryzhakov, former director of the Ulyanovsk branch of Tupolev, agrees with this idea.
No matter what they say now about how uneconomical the Tu-204/214 is, they fit into the parameters of Western aircraft. And even with all the difficulties, flight hours were provided at the level of imported airliners. Even just shedding weight would make it not just an airplane, but a sweet treat.
However, questions still arise about the PS-90A engine, the journalists added. The power plant does not meet current requirements for specific fuel consumption, but given its reliability, the issue of replacement is not worth it, the main task is to increase the resource.
Independent aviation expert Alexey Zakharov added that Tupolev has been doing a poor job of supporting aircraft for all 30 years.
Look at the minutes of the Tu-204/214 operators conference. Year after year, 90% of the problems remained unresolved.
As of the end of March 2026, the Kazan Aviation Plant has not started mass production of Tu-214 airliners, although it received a type certificate back in December 2025.
