The Russian airline S7 Airlines has a problem that is actually known worldwide, but cannot be resolved quickly due to the sanctions. The A320neo series fleet is also affected by the Pratt & Whitney engine trouble. However, you cannot get spare parts and exchange drives - at least through official channels.

According to a report by Kommersant, S7 Airlines has so far had to decommission around 20 percent of the Neo fleet. There is a lack of spare parts because they cannot be made at the moment due to the sanctions. You also cannot buy replacement engines directly from the manufacturer. The Russian carrier therefore has no choice but to temporarily decommission the affected jets.

An enormous number of airlines worldwide are affected by the problems surrounding PW engines. Many machines are grounded due to delivery bottlenecks and necessary inspections, which is already having noticeable consequences for some carriers. For example, Lufthansa justifies the closure of routes from Linz, Innsbruck and Friedrichshafen with the bottlenecks. However, Russian carriers are affected to a completely different extent, because due to the sanctions, no engines and/or components are allowed to be delivered to the Russian Federation through official channels. You can still get pretty much everything your heart desires through intermediaries, but this is hardly possible with the PW engines because they are in great demand and the manufacturer keeps a special eye on where they are delivered.

The combination of all circumstances has unpleasant consequences for the employees of S7 Airlines, as the carrier confirmed to Kommersant that it would have to cut staff. The Moscow-Domodedovo base is mainly affected. Selected employees are offered the opportunity to work office jobs in the future. It is currently unclear whether this wave of layoffs will continue or whether more employees will have to leave. Aeroflot and Pobeda should at least offer alternative jobs to flight attendants.