View source for Babyflot

{{Short description|Airline created from the 1994 breakup of the Soviet flag carrier Aeroflot}}
'''Babyflot''' is the informal name given to any airline in the former [[Soviet Union]] created in the early 1990s from the dissolution of [[Aeroflot]] as part of the [[breakup of the Soviet Union]]. The word is a [[portmanteau]] of ''baby'' and ''Aeroflot'' (compare [[Baby Bells]]).

There were between 300 and 800 Babyflots, with many being single-plane operations, while international routes were operated separately as Aeroflot—Russian International Airlines (ARIA).<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1994/12/11/dissecting-the-aeroflot-breakup/ | title=DISSECTING THE AEROFLOT BREAKUP | work=[[Chicago Tribune]] | date=December 11, 1994}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/03/obituaries/natalia-fileva-dead.html | title=Natalia Fileva, Leader in Russia’s ‘Babyflot’ Airlines, Dies at 55 | first=Andrew E. | last=Kramer | work=[[The New York Times]] | date=April 3, 2019}}</ref> By 1994, many Babyflots were bankrupt, hampered by a lack of capital and a poor economy, which in turn led to abysmal safety records. These safety issues had become so endemic to the "Babyflot" airlines that in 1994 the [[International Air Transport Association]] took the unusual step of recommending trains for people traveling the former Soviet Union, as it was considered the least life-threatening form of conveyance.<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/travel-truths/are-russia-airlines-safe/ | title=Do Russian airlines still have a safety problem? | work=[[The Daily Telegraph]] | date=February 12, 2018}}</ref>

In 1998, Russia had 315 airlines but expected the number to drop to 8 federal air carriers and 40 to 45 regional airlines by 2000 as the government began restricting licensing and certification and bring air-safety standards into compliance with international standards.<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/19980116/2729072/russia-plans-to-clip-wings-of-babyflot-airline-fleet | title=Russia Plans To Clip Wings Of `Babyflot' Airline Fleet | work=[[Seattle Times]] | date=January 16, 1998}}</ref>

==List of notable Babyflots==
Some Babyflots are now [[flag carrier]]s of former Soviet countries, such as [[Uzbekistan Airlines]].
{{Dynamic list}}

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Original Aeroflot Subdivision and Home Airport !! Status as of 2025 !! Comment
|-
| [[2nd Arkhangelsk United Aviation Division]]
| 2nd Arkhangelsk {{Tooltip|UAD|United Aviation Division/Detachment (Russian: ОАО, Объединённый авиаотряд)}} of Arkhangelsk {{Tooltip|ACA|Administration of Civil Aviation (Russian: УГА, Управление гражданской авиации)}}, [[Vaskovo Airport|Vaskovo]]
| Active
|
|-
| [[2nd Sverdlovsk Air Enterprise]]
| 2nd Sverdlovsk UAD of Ural ACA, [[Uktus Airport|Ukrus]]<ref>https://russianplanes.net/airline/1346</ref>
| Defunct&nbsp;(2011)
|
|-
| [[Royal Flight (airline)|Abakan Avia]]
| Abakan UAD of Krasnoyarsk ACA, [[Abakan Airport|Abakan]]<ref>https://russianplanes.net/airline/1359</ref>
| Defunct (2024)
| Rebranded as Royal Flight in 2014
|-
| [[Abkhazian Airlines]]
| Sukhumi UAD of Georgian ACA, [[Sukhumi Babushara Airport|Babushara]]
| Active
|
|-
| [[Aeroflot]]
| Central Administration of International Air Traffic, [[Sheremetyevo International Airport|Sheremetyevo]]<ref>https://russianplanes.net/airline/1277</ref>
| Active
|
|-
| [[Air Kharkov]]
| Kharkov UAD of Ukrainian ACA, [[Kharkiv Airport|Kharkiv]]<ref>https://russianplanes.net/airline/1449</ref>
| Defunct (2018)
|
|-
| [[Air Moldova]]
| Various UADs of Moldavian ACA<ref>https://russianplanes.net/airline/Air_Moldova</ref>
| Defunct (2023)
|
|-
| [[Air Ukraine]]
| Various UADs of Ukrainian ACA<ref>https://russianplanes.net/airline/134</ref>
| Defunct (2004)
|
|-
| [[Air Volga]]
| Volgograd UAD of North Caucasian ACA,<ref>https://russianplanes.net/airline/3397</ref> [[Volgograd International Airport|Gumrak]]
| Defunct (2010)
| Also known as VolgaAviaExpress. Acquired by [[RusLine]] in 2010 with RusLine adopting Air Volga branding.
|-
| [[Georgian Airways|Airzena]]
| Tbilisi UAD of Georgian ACA,<ref>https://russianplanes.net/airline/Georgian_Airlines_(Airzena)</ref> [[Tbilisi International Airport|Tbilisi]]
| Active
| Rebranded as Georgian Airways in 2004
|-
| [[Smartavia|Arkhangelsk Airlines]]
| 1st Arkhangelsk UAD of Arkhangelsk ACA, [[Talagi Airport|Talagi]]
| Active
| Was a subsidiary of Aeroflot under name "Aeroflot-Nord" in 2004–2009, renamed Nordavia in 2009, rebranded as Smartavia in 2019
|-
| [[Armenian Airlines (1991)|Armenian Airlines]]
| 1st and 2nd Yerevan UADs of Armenian ACA,<ref>https://russianplanes.net/airline/225</ref> [[Zvartnots International Airport|Zvartnots]]
| Defunct (2004)
| Not to be confused with active [[Armenian Airlines|company with same name]] operating since 2022
|-
| [[ARP 410 Airlines]]
| Kiev Aviation Industrial Association "50 years of October" of [[Ministry of Aviation Industry (Soviet Union)|Ministry of Aviation Industry]], [[Sviatoshyn Airfield|Sviatoshyn]]<ref>https://russianplanes.net/airline/1475</ref>
| Defunct (2007)
|
|-
| [[ATRAN]]
| Moscow Air Enterprise of Ministry of Aviation Industry, [[Zakharkovo Airfield|Zakharkovo]], [[Myachkovo Airport|Myachkovo]], [[Zhukovsky International Airport|Zhukovsky]], [[Moscow Domodedovo Airport|Domodedovo]]<ref>https://russianplanes.net/airline/1283</ref>
| Active
|
|-
| [[Azerbaijan Airlines]]
| Various UADs of Azerbaijan ACA<ref>https://russianplanes.net/airline/123</ref>
| Active
|
|-
| [[Baikal Airlines]]
| Irkutsk UAD of East-Siberian ACA
| Defunct (2001)
| Acquired by Siberian Airlines in 2001
|-
| [[BAL Bashkirian Airlines]]
| Ufa UAD of Privolzhye ACA, [[Ufa International Airport|Ufa]]<ref>https://russianplanes.net/airline/1317</ref>
| Defunct (2007)
|
|-
| [[Belavia]]
| Various UADs of Belarusian ACA<ref>https://russianplanes.net/airline/Belavia_-_Belarus_Airlines</ref>
| Active
|
|-
| [[Belgorod Air Enterprise]]
| Belgorod UAD of ACA of Central regions,<ref>https://russianplanes.net/airline/1602</ref> [[Belgorod International Airport|Belgorod]]
| Defunct (2005)
|
|-
| [[Bravia (Bryansk Air Enterprise)]]
| Bryansk UAD of ACA of Central regions,<ref>https://russianplanes.net/airline/Bryansk_AO_-_Bravia</ref> [[Bryansk International Airport|Bryansk]]
| Defunct (2006)
|
|-
| [[Bugulma Air Enterprise]]
| Bugulma UAC of Privolzhye ACA,<ref>https://russianplanes.net/airline/1966</ref><ref>https://russianplanes.net/airline/208</ref> [[Bugulma Airport|Bugulma]]
| Defunct (2015)
| Rebranded as Ak Bars Aero in 2010
|-
| [[Bural|Buryatia Airlines (Bural)]]
| Ulan-Ude UAD of East Siberian ACA, [[Baikal International Airport|Ulan-Ude]]<ref>https://russianplanes.net/airline/848</ref>
| Defunct (2016)
| 
|-
| [[ChitaAvia]]
| Chita UAD of East Siberian ACA, [[Chita-Kadala International Airport|Kadala]]<ref>https://russianplanes.net/airline/ChitaAvia</ref>
| Defunct (2004)
| Acquired by [[VIM Airlines]] in 2004
|-
| [[Dagestan Airlines]]
| Makhachkala UAD of North Caucasian ACA, [[Uytash Airport|Uytash]]<ref>https://russianplanes.net/airline/75</ref>
| Defunct (2011)
| Rebranded as South East Airlines in 2010
|-
| [[Dalavia]]
| Khabarovsk UAD, Far Eastern ACA, [[Khabarovsk Novy Airport|Khabarovsk-Novy]]<ref>https://russianplanes.net/airline/35</ref>
| Defunct (2008)
|
|-
| [[Domodedovo Airlines]]
| Domodedovo [[Production association]] of Civil Aviation, [[Moscow Domodedovo Airport|Domodedovo]]<ref>https://russianplanes.net/airline/1</ref>
| Defunct (2008)
| Was part of [[AiRUnion]] alliance, which went bankrupt in 2008
|-
| [[Donavia]]
| Rostov-on-Don UAC or North Caucasian ACA, [[Rostov-on-Don Airport|Rostov-on-Don]]<ref>https://russianplanes.net/airline/11</ref>
| Defunct (2016)
| Purchased by Aeroflot in 2000, was branded as Aeroflot-Don in 2000–2009. Merged into Rossiya Airlines in 2016.
|-
| [[Estonian Air]]
| Various UADs of Estonian ACA<ref>https://russianplanes.net/airline/522</ref>
| Defunct (2015)
|
|-
| [[FlyLAL-Lithuanian Airlines]]
| Vilnius UAD of Lithuanian ACA,<ref>https://russianplanes.net/airline/Lithuanian_Airlines_-_FlyLAL</ref> [[Vilnius Airport|Vilnius]]
| Defunct (2009)
|
|-
| [[Gomelavia]]
| Gomel UAD of Belarusian ACA,<ref>https://russianplanes.net/airline/Gomelavia</ref> [[Gomel Airport|Gomel]]
| Defunct (2011)
|
|-
| [[Izhavia]]
| Izhevsk UAD of Ural ACA,<ref>https://russianplanes.net/airline/201</ref> [[Izhevsk Airport|Izhevsk]]
| Active
|
|-
| [[Kazakhstan Airlines]]
| Various UADs of Kazakh ACA<ref>https://russianplanes.net/airline/4084</ref>
| Defunct (1996)
| Was declared bankrupt in 1996, with its assets transferred to newly founded [[Air Kazakhstan]]
|-
| [[Kazan Air Enterprise]]
| 2nd Kazan UAD of Privolzhye ACA,<ref>https://russianplanes.net/airline/Kazanskoe_AP</ref> [[Kazan International Airport|Kazan]]
| Active
| 
|-
| [[Kemerovo Aviation Enterprise]]
| Kemerovo UAD of West Siberian ACA,<ref>https://russianplanes.net/airline/Kemerovo_AE</ref> [[Alexei Leonov Kemerovo International Airport|Kemerovo]]
| Defunct (1997)
|
|-
| Khakassia
| Abakan UAD of Krasnoyarsk ACA, [[Abakan Airport|Abakan]]<ref>https://russianplanes.net/airline/1359</ref>
| Defunct (2003)
| Acquired by Vladivostok Air in 2003
|-
| KomiAvia
| Syktyvkar UAD of Komi ACA, [[Syktyvkar Airport|Syktyvkar]]
| Defunct (1998)
| After bankruptcy in 1998, reorganized into [[Komiaviatrans]]
|-
| [[Kostroma Air Enterprise]]
| Kostroma UAD of ACA of Central regions,<ref>https://russianplanes.net/airline/399</ref> [[Kostroma Airport|Kostroma]]
| Active
| 
|-
| [[KrasAir]]
| Various UADs of Krasnoyarsk ACA<ref>https://russianplanes.net/airline/27</ref>
| Defunct (2009)
| Was part of [[AiRUnion]] alliance, which went bankrupt in 2008
|-
| [[Kuban Airlines]]
| Krasnodar UAD of North Caucasian ACA,<ref>https://russianplanes.net/airline/17</ref> [[Krasnodar International Airport|Pashkovsky]]
| Defunct (2013)
|
|-
| [[Kyrgyzstan Airlines]]
| Various UADs of Kyrgyz ACA<ref>https://russianplanes.net/airline/246</ref>
| Defunct (2005)
| After bankruptcy in 2005 acquired by Altyn Air, which was rebranded as [[Kyrgyzstan Air Company]] in 2006
|-
| [[Latavio]]
| Various UADs of Latvian ACA, including 1st Riga UAD at [[Riga International Airport|Skulte]] and 2nd Riga UAD at [[Spilve Airport|Spilve]]<ref>https://russianplanes.net/airline/518</ref>
| Defunct (1996)
|
|-
| [[Mavial Magadan Airlines]]
| Magadan UAD of Magadan ACA,<ref>https://russianplanes.net/airline/Mavial_-_Magadan_Airlines</ref> [[Sokol Airport|Sokol]]
| Defunct (2007)
|
|-
| [[Alrosa (airline)|Mirny Air Enterprise]]
| Mirny UAD of Yakutian ACA,<ref>https://russianplanes.net/airline/Alrosa_-_Mirny_AE</ref> [[Mirny Airport|Mirny]]
| Active
| Rebranded as Alrosa in 1995
|-
| [[Murmansk Aviation Company|Murmansk Airlines]]
| Murmansk UAD of Leningrad (Northern) ACA,<ref>https://russianplanes.net/airline/Murmaknsk_OAO</ref> [[Murmansk Airport|Murmashi]]
| Defunct (2018)
| After bankruptcy in 1999 sold to [[Norilsk Nickel]] and reorganized as Murmansk Aviation Company, which only performed helicopter operations; rebranded as "Arktika" in 2015, ceased operations in 2018
|-
| [[Nefteyugansk Air Enterprise]]
| Nefteyugansk UAD of Tyumen ACA, [[Nefteyugansk Airport|Nefteyugansk]]
| Active
|
|-
| [[Nikolaevsk-na-Amure Air Enterprise]]
| Nikolaevsk-na-Amure UAD, Far Eastern ACA,<ref>https://russianplanes.net/airline/1203</ref> [[Nikolayevsk-on-Amur Airport|Nikolayevsk-on-Amur]]
| Defunct (2004)
|
|-
| Nizhny Novgorod Airlines
| Gorky UAD of Privolzhye ACA,<ref>https://russianplanes.net/airline/1335</ref> [[Strigino International Airport|Strigino]]
| Defunct (2002)
|
|-
| Norilsk Air Enterprise
| Norilsk UAD of Krasnoyarsk ACA, [[Alykel International Airport|Alykel]]<ref>https://russianplanes.net/airline/2576</ref>
| Defunct (2002)
| After bankruptcy in 2002 split into multiple companies, including airlines Taymyr (later rebranded [[NordStar]], active) and [[Zapolyariye]] (defunct in 2010)
|-
| [[Novosibirsk Air Enterprise]]
| Novisibirsk UAD of West Siberian ACA,<ref>https://russianplanes.net/airline/249</ref> [[Severny Airport|Novisibirsk-Severny]]
| Defunct (2011)
|
|-
| [[Omskavia]]
| Omsk UAD of West Siberian ACA,<ref>https://russianplanes.net/airline/OmskAvia_(AirUnion)</ref> [[Omsk Central Airport|Omsk-Central]]
| Defunct (2009)
| Was part of [[AiRUnion]] alliance, which went bankrupt in 2008
|-
| [[Orenair]]
| Orenburg UAD of Privolzhye ACA,<ref>https://russianplanes.net/airline/44</ref> [[Orenburg Airport|Orenburg-Central]]
| Defunct (2016)
| Acquired by Rossiya Airlines in 2016
|-
| [[Perm Airlines]]
| Perm UAD of Ural ACA,<ref>https://russianplanes.net/airline/131</ref> [[Perm International Airport|Bolshoye Savino]]
| Defunct (2009)
|
|-
| [[Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky Air Enterprise]]
| Kamchatka UAD of Far Eastern ACA,<ref>https://russianplanes.net/airline/Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy_AE</ref> [[Elizovo Airport|Yelizovo]]
| Active
|
|-
| [[Pskovavia]]
| Pskov UAD of Leningrad (Northern) ACA,<ref>https://russianplanes.net/airline/268</ref> [[Princess Olga Pskov International Airport|Pskov]]
| Defunct (2019)
|
|-
| [[Pulkovo Airlines]]
| Leningrad UAD, Leningrad (Northern) ACA,<ref>https://russianplanes.net/airline/Pulkovo_AE</ref> [[Pulkovo Airport|Pulkovo]]
| Defunct (2006)
| In 2006, reorganized into state transport company "Rossiya", which became [[Rossiya Airlines]] in 2011
|-
| [[Sakha Avia]]
| Various UADs of Yakutian ACA<ref>https://russianplanes.net/airline/1670</ref>
| Defunct (2002)
| Merged with Yakutian Airlines to form [[Yakutia Airlines|Air Company Yakutia]].
|-
| [[Samara Airlines]]
| Kuybyshev UAD of Privolzhye ACA,<ref>https://russianplanes.net/airline/Samara_Airlines_(AirUnion)</ref> [[Kurumoch International Airport|Kurumoch]]
| Defunct (2009)
| Was part of [[AiRUnion]] alliance, which went bankrupt in 2008
|-
| [[Saransk Air Enterprise]]
| Saransk UAD of Privolzhye ACA,<ref>https://russianplanes.net/airline/Mordovia_Airlines_(Saransk_AE)</ref> [[Saransk Airport|Saransk]]
| Defunct (2013)
| After bankruptcy in 2006, reorganized into Mordovia Airlines, which ceased operations in 2013
|-
| [[Saravia]]
| Saratov UAD of Privolzhye ACA,<ref>https://russianplanes.net/airline/Saravia_-_Saratov_Airlines</ref> [[Saratov Central Airport|Saratov-Central]]
| Defunct (2018)
| Later operated under names Ivolga, Saratov Airlines

|-
| [[SAT Airlines]]
| Sakhalin UAD of Far Eastern ACA, [[Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk Airport|Khomutovo]]<ref>https://russianplanes.net/airline/SAT_Airlines</ref>
| Defunct (2013)
| Merged with Vladivostok Air to form [[Aurora (airline)|Aurora]], with Aurora inheriting ICAO code of SAT Airlines (SHU)
|-
| [[S7 Airlines|Siberia Airlines]]
| Tolmachevo UAD of West Siberian ACA,<ref>https://russianplanes.net/airline/5</ref> [[Tolmachevo Airport|Tolmachevo]]
| Active
| Rebranded as S7 Airlines in 2005
|-
| [[Stigl]]
| Grozny UAD of North Caucasian ACA,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://russianplanes.net/airline/Stigl|title=Stigl - Карточка оператора|publisher=Russianplanes.net|access-date=2025-03-12}}</ref> [[Kadyrov Grozny International Airport|Grozny]]
| Defunct (1995)
| Formed by separatist government of [[Chechen Republic of Ichkeria]]. Never obtained official registration from Russian or international aviation authorities, performed flights from Grozny to Turkey and Arab countries. Most aircraft were destroyed on 01.12.1994 by Russian airstrikes during [[First Chechen war]].
|-
| [[Tajik Air]]
| Various UADs of Tajik ACA<ref>https://russianplanes.net/airline/Tajikistan_Airlines</ref>
| Active
|
|-
| [[Tomskavia]]
| Tomsk UAD of West Siberian ACA,<ref>https://russianplanes.net/airline/Tomskavia</ref> [[Tomsk Kamov Airport|Bogashovo]]
| Defunct (2015)
|
|-
| [[UTair Aviation|TyumenAviaTrans]]
| Various UADs of Tyumen ACA<ref>https://russianplanes.net/airline/UTair_(TymenAviaTrans_-_TAT)</ref>
| Active
| Rebranded as UTair Aviation in 1999
|-
| [[Ural Airlines]]
| 1st Sverdlovsk UAD of Ural ACA, [[Koltsovo International Airport|Koltsovo]]<ref>https://russianplanes.net/airline/Ural_Airlines</ref>
| Active
|
|-
| [[Uzbekistan Airways]]
| Various UADs of Uzbek ACA<ref>https://russianplanes.net/airline/Uzbekistan_Airways</ref>
| Active
|
|-
| [[Vladivostok Air]]
| Vladivostok UAD of Far Eastern ACA, [[Vladivostok International Airport|Knevichi]]<ref>https://russianplanes.net/airline/Vladivostok_Air</ref>
| Defunct (2013)
| Merged with SAT Airlines to form [[Aurora (airline)|Aurora]]
|-
| [[Vnukovo Airlines]]
| Vnukovo [[Production association]] of Civil Aviation,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://russianplanes.net/airline/130|title=Внуковские авиалинии - ВАЛ - карточка оператора|publisher=Russianplanes.net|access-date=2025-03-12}}</ref> [[Vnukovo International Airport|Vnukovo]]
| Defunct (2001)
| After bankruptcy acquired by Siberia Airlines
|-
| [[Vologda Aviation Enterprise]]
| Vologda UAD of Leningrad (Northern) ACA,<ref>https://russianplanes.net/airline/229</ref> [[Vologda Airport|Vologda]]
| Active
|
|-
| [[Voronezhavia]]
| Voronezh UAD of ACA of Central regions,<ref>https://russianplanes.net/airline/Voronezh_Avia</ref> [[Voronezh International Airport|Chertovitskoye]]
| Defunct (2003)
|
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
*Tavernise, Sabrina. "[https://www.nytimes.com/2002/10/20/travel/travel-advisory-correspondent-s-report-aeroflot-without-fear-in-today-s-russia.html TRAVEL ADVISORY: CORRESPONDENT'S REPORT; Aeroflot Without Fear In Today's Russia]." ''[[The New York Times]]''. October 20, 2002.

==External links==
{{Portal|Russia|Soviet Union|Aviation}}
{{Commons|Aeroflot}}
*"[https://web.archive.org/web/20051105031734/http://www.moscowtimes.ru/stories/1998/01/17/018.html Russia Says 'Babyflot' Era is Over]" ''[[Moscow Times]]''. Saturday January 17, 1998.<!--Also "End of babyflots?"-->
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20110713183422/http://www.landor.com/index.cfm?do=thinking.article&storyid=444&bhcp=1 S7: Bringing Siberia Airlines In From The Cold]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20080224124053/http://carpetblog.typepad.com/carpetblogger/2007/01/an_open_letter_.html An Open Letter to AeroSvit, Ukrainian Airlines]
*[http://www.ft.com/dkreports/russia6 DK World Reports RUSSIA]
*https://russianplanes.net/Aeroflot

{{Airlines of Russia}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Babyflot| ]]
[[Category:Aeroflot]]
[[Category:Former Aeroflot divisions]]
[[Category:Airlines of Russia]]