The contract for the supply of up to 100 Tu-214 passenger aircraft for S7 is under threat of disruption. The reasons are unresolved issues with the modernization of the airliner, high cost, and the absence of state mechanisms that would make the purchase economically viable.
S7 continues negotiations with the United Aircraft Corporation and the State Transport Leasing Company, but the parties have not yet been able to agree on the key terms of the future deal. According to industry sources, the airline is not ready to finally confirm the largest order without guarantees for the technical refinement of the aircraft and the cost of its operation.
S7's main requirement remains a version of the Tu-214 with a two-person crew. Today, the aircraft is operated with a flight engineer, while modern airliners manage with two pilots. Such a transition will significantly reduce operating costs and bring the Tu-214 closer to international standards.
In addition to the new cockpit, the airline expects to receive improved flight performance characteristics and reduced maintenance times. For a commercial carrier, this directly affects the efficiency of fleet utilization and financial performance.
Despite the difficulties, S7 emphasizes that negotiations are ongoing and there is no final rejection of the project.
There is no talk of negotiations breaking down.
At the same time, the company will not be able to receive the first aircraft earlier than the end of 2029. Before that, the Kazan Aircraft Plant will have to fulfill deliveries for state customers, and then increase the pace of serial production.
Experts believe that the longer the contract signing and program advance payment are delayed, the more difficult it will be to launch full-scale serial production of the Tu-214. At the same time, the industry does not rule out that if the deadlines are delayed, S7 may reduce the order volume or later bet on the MC-21, although the Tu-214 remains a very attractive option for the carrier in terms of capacity and flight range.