Angara Airlines
Angara Airlines was a Russian regional carrier based in Irkutsk that connected Siberian cities and remote communities through scheduled, charter, VIP, cargo, and mail services.
Last updated August 24, 2026
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History
Angara Airlines was established in 2000 in Irkutsk, Russia. The carrier operated on behalf of its owner, the Irkut Corporation aircraft repair factory, and used Irkutsk International Airport as its principal base. Novosibirsk was also identified as a base airport. This relationship placed the airline within the industrial and aviation environment surrounding aircraft repair and regional air transport in eastern Russia. From its early operations, Angara focused on scheduled services in Siberia and on links to other Russian regions. Its network served a mixture of provincial cities, remote settlements, and airports with comparatively limited alternatives for long-distance travel. The geography of Siberia—characterized by great distances, dispersed population centers, and difficult surface travel in some areas—created a role for regional aviation that differed from the hub-and-spoke operations of Russia’s largest airlines. Angara supplemented scheduled passenger flights with charter, VIP, freight, and mail services. The airline’s destinations included communities in Irkutsk Oblast, Buryatia, Amur Oblast, Zabaykalsky Krai, the Sakha Republic, Sakhalin, and Khabarovsk Krai. The published network also included an international connection to Manzhouli, China. By May 2022, the listed Russian destinations included Irkutsk, Bratsk, Bodaybo, Kirensk, Mama, Ust-Kut, and Yerbogachen; Ulan-Ude, Nizhneangarsk, and Taksimo; Blagoveshchensk, Talakan, Tynda, and Zeya; Chita and Chara; Lensk; Khabarovsk; and Nogliki, Okha, and Shakhtyorsk. A prospective fleet-development step was announced in July 2017, when Angara signed a letter of intent for three Irkut MC-21-300 aircraft at the MAKS air show in Moscow. The airline had not selected engines at the time, and the proposed delivery schedule extended from 2022 to 2025. The available reference does not establish whether the letter of intent became a firm purchase or whether any MC-21 aircraft were delivered. Angara’s operational record included several serious accidents. On 11 July 2011, Flight 9007, an Antonov An-24 flying from Tomsk to Surgut, experienced an in-flight engine fire and was ditched in the Ob River; seven of the 37 occupants died. On 27 July 2019, Flight 200 suffered an engine failure after departing Nizhneangarsk for Ulan-Ude. During the emergency landing, the aircraft ran off the runway, struck a building, and caught fire; two crew members died and seven other people were injured. On 24 July 2025, Flight 2311, an Antonov An-24 traveling from Blagoveshchensk to Tynda, crashed near Tynda. The aircraft carried 42 passengers, including five children, and six crew members; no one survived. Following the 2025 crash, reports dated 27 October stated that Rosaviatsiya planned to revoke the airline’s air operator certificate on 5 November because of flight-safety concerns. The supplied material does not confirm the final administrative outcome, so the airline’s current legal and operating status remains uncertain in this dossier.
- 2025
Flight 2311 fatal crash
[1]An Antonov An-24 operating from Blagoveshchensk to Tynda crashed near its destination, killing all 48 occupants.
- 2025
Planned certificate revocation reported
[1]Reports said Rosaviatsiya intended to revoke Angara Airlines’ air operator certificate on 5 November over safety concerns following the Flight 2311 crash.
- 2022
EU airspace restriction applies
[1]Angara became subject to the prohibition on Russian airlines flying into European Union airspace.
- 2019
Flight 200 runway accident
[1]Flight 200 suffered an engine failure after takeoff from Nizhneangarsk and crashed during an emergency landing, killing two crew members.
- 2017
MC-21 letter of intent
[1]The airline announced a letter of intent for three Irkut MC-21-300 aircraft at the MAKS air show.
- 2011
Flight 9007 ditching
[1]An engine fire on an Antonov An-24 operating Flight 9007 led to a ditching in the Ob River; seven passengers died.
- 2000
Angara Airlines established
[1]Angara Airlines was established in Irkutsk and began developing as a regional carrier associated with the Irkut Corporation aircraft repair factory.
Products and positioning
Regional air transportation provider focused on Siberian connectivity and specialized short-haul services
Passenger air transport · 2000
Scheduled regional passenger services
Angara Airlines’ main offering was scheduled passenger transportation within Siberia and between Siberian airports and other Russian regions. The network emphasized provincial cities and remote communities rather than long-haul international routes, using regional aircraft and local airport infrastructure to provide links across eastern Russia.
Specialized air transport
Charter and VIP transportation
In addition to its regular timetable, the airline offered charter transportation and VIP flights. These services extended its role beyond fixed regional routes and allowed aircraft capacity to be used for special movements and individually arranged travel.
Air cargo and postal transport
Freight and mail services
Angara also carried freight and mail. Such services were relevant to Siberian communities where distance and limited ground transport could make air cargo an important means of moving supplies, documents, and other time-sensitive items between regional airports.
Aircraft fleet development · 2017
Irkut MC-21-300 prospective fleet program
In 2017, Angara announced a letter of intent for three Irkut MC-21-300 aircraft. The proposal contemplated deliveries during 2022–2025, but the available source does not verify conversion into a firm order or entry into service.
Brand decisions
2025
Reported planned revocation of air operator certificateOtherBackground
Following the fatal crash of Flight 2311, Russian civil aviation authorities reportedly raised flight-safety concerns about the carrier.
Action taken
Rosaviatsiya was reported on 27 October to plan revocation of Angara Airlines’ air operator certificate on 5 November 2025.
Aftermath
The supplied reference does not confirm the final administrative decision or the carrier’s subsequent operating status.
2017
Prospective acquisition of MC-21-300 aircraftStrategyBackground
Angara’s regional network and its relationship with Russian aviation manufacturing provided a context for considering newer Russian-built aircraft for future fleet development.
Action taken
The airline signed a letter of intent for three Irkut MC-21-300 aircraft at the MAKS air show. Engine selection was still undecided, and proposed deliveries were scheduled for 2022–2025.
Aftermath
The available reference does not establish that the proposal became a firm purchase or that the aircraft were delivered.
Recent events
- 2025
Angara Airlines Flight 2311 crashes near Tynda[1]
Other
An Antonov An-24 flying from Blagoveshchensk to Tynda crashed near its destination on 24 July 2025. All 48 people aboard, including 42 passengers and six crew members, were reported killed.
- 2025
Rosaviatsiya reported to plan revocation of Angara Airlines air operator certificate[1]
Regulation · Leadership change
On 27 October 2025, reports said Russia’s civil aviation authority planned to revoke Angara Airlines’ air operator certificate on 5 November over flight-safety concerns following the fatal Flight 2311 crash.
- 2022
Russian airlines prohibited from EU airspace[1]
Regulation
Angara Airlines became subject to the European Union airspace restriction applied to Russian airlines after the 2022 escalation of the Russia–Ukraine conflict.
- 2017
Angara Airlines signs letter of intent for three MC-21-300 aircraft[1]
Product launch
At the MAKS air show in Moscow, Angara Airlines announced a letter of intent covering three Irkut MC-21-300 aircraft. Engine selection had not yet been finalized, and the proposed delivery window was 2022–2025.
Sources1 sources
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