Subsidies for Russian Far-Eastern airline Aurora to reach 6.7 bln rubles in 2024-25 - draft budget

MOSCOW. Sept 26 (Interfax) - Subsidies for air travel on socially significant routes in the Far Eastern Federal District, the recipient of which is Aurora Airlines, in 2024-2025 will total 6.7 billion rubles, rising to over 7 billion rubles in 2026, the draft federal budget for 2024 and the planning period 2025-2026 says, which Interfax has reviewed.

In the current state budget, subsidies for Aurora for 2024-2025 were planned at a higher 7.7 billion rubles. Almost 7 billion rubles were budgeted for 2023.

As reported, 29.2 billion rubles are expected to be allocated in 2024 for the federal "Ensuring the Availability of Air Transport Services" project which includes subsidies to support air traffic in Russia, while 28.7 billion rubles is planned for allocation in 2025. This is 14% lower than the allocations for this period in the current budget. In 2026, subsidies are planned at the level of 30.2 billion rubles, which is 10% less than the budget forecast.

Subsidies for flights between the central part of the country, the Far East, Crimea (air traffic with the peninsula is currently suspended) and Kaliningrad in 2024 will total 10.3 billion rubles versus the previously planned 12.3 billion rubles. In 2025, the allocation will be 10 billion rubles versus 11.8 billion rubles. 10.6 billion is budgeted for 2026.

Support for air travel between regions bypassing Moscow will also decrease: in 2024 it will total 7.3 billion rubles vs. the planned 8.9 billion rubles; in 2025, it will be 7.1 billion rubles versus 8.98 billion rubles, and in 2026, the planned allocation is 7.6 billion rubles.

Subsidies to federal government enterprises located in the Far North and equivalent areas are set at 4.1 billion rubles annually for the next three years, as was expected.