Returns under red wings
Russia's Red Wings Airlines has revived Sky Gates Airlines. Founded in 2016 with a focus on freight, the company was forced to cease operations following the sanctions imposed in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and was taken over by Red Wings last August.
The current fleet comprises two Il-76 freighters, one of which began operating between Turkmenbashi and Moscow-Zhukovsky on 10 December.
General director Evgeniy Solodilin spoke of "good prospects for the development of the freight transport market on domestic routes and in the export/import business with neighbouring countries." Red Wings plans to deploy mainly Russian-made aircraft in future. On 28 December, it was the first carrier to receive a restored Tu-214, which had been in storage since 2017. (ah)