Russia Revokes Izhavia's Air Operator Certificate Over Safety Violations

Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsiya) has revoked the air operator certificate of regional carrier Izhavia, effective August 1, after the airline failed to address safety deficiencies identified during regulatory inspections.

The decision follows a series of audits that uncovered violations related to aircraft maintenance, flight crew scheduling and excessive working hours for technical personnel. Izhavia had been operating under restrictions since April and was given time to implement corrective measures, but regulators concluded the deficiencies had not been adequately resolved.

With the certificate revoked, Izhavia will suspend commercial operations and halt ticket sales. The airline has sold nearly 46,000 tickets for travel through February 1, 2027, with affected passengers to be accommodated on flights operated by Aeroflot, S7 Airlines, Red Wings, Nordwind Airlines and other Russian carriers.

Industry reports indicate that a revoked air operator certificate cannot be reinstated under current Russian regulations. Market observers have suggested the airline could be sold as a corporate entity to obtain a new certificate or liquidate its assets, which include a fleet of Boeing and Yakovlev aircraft.