Izhavia has submitted an application for a new air operator’s certificate to Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency, beginning a certification process that the Udmurt regional government expects to conclude in the second half of November 2026.
The filing follows the annulment of Izhavia’s previous AOC, which took effect on August 1 and ended the airline’s ability to operate commercial flights under its own authority. The carrier has since transferred booked passengers to other airlines or offered refunds while retaining its airport and related businesses at Izhevsk (IJK).
Separately, Izhavia’s dormant international portfolio is under review. Materials prepared for Rosaviatsiya’s interdepartmental commission propose withdrawing the airline’s rights covering 79 international routes to eight countries, together with its general authorization for international charter flights.
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New certificate requires a fresh review
The regional government said Izhavia completed its application package on August 20 and forwarded it to Rosaviatsiya. The November timing is an expectation rather than a commitment from the regulator: an annulled AOC cannot simply be reactivated, leaving Izhavia to demonstrate again that its organization, personnel, aircraft and operating systems meet certification requirements.
Rosaviatsiya had already placed a time limit on the former certificate on April 30. In its notice announcing that restriction, the regulator said Izhavia needed an effective safety management system and had to address aircraft maintenance and continuing-airworthiness issues. It warned that the certificate would be annulled if the findings were not resolved by July 28.
Izhavia responded at the time that it had agreed on a corrective action plan with transport supervisor Rostransnadzor. The airline’s May 1 statement said it was auditing its continuing-airworthiness and maintenance units while adding controls over personnel working-time limits and flight-duty planning.
Those measures did not prevent the certificate from being annulled. Izhavia’s own company page now identifies AOC No. 479, issued November 10, 2025, as valid only through August 1, 2026.
International rights face withdrawal
The proposed removal of Izhavia’s international authorities is a separate regulatory step. The Rosaviatsiya commission materials cover rights to serve Armenia, Azerbaijan, Egypt, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and Uzbekistan.
The total should not be read as 79 planned services from IJK. Russian international traffic rights can remain on an airline’s portfolio even when they are not represented in its current schedule, and the proposed list includes authorities from multiple Russian gateways. Before the AOC annulment, Izhavia’s commercial program was concentrated on domestic links involving Moscow, St. Petersburg, Sochi, Kaliningrad and Yekaterinburg.
Withdrawal would nevertheless remove options that could otherwise have supported a future restart or made the company more attractive to an investor. Obtaining a new AOC would restore the basic authority to conduct commercial air transport, but it would not by itself reinstate international route rights that Rosaviatsiya had formally reassigned or canceled.
Mixed Boeing and Yakovlev fleet remains grounded
Izhavia’s published fleet comprises two Boeing 737-800s and four Yakovlev Yak-42Ds. The airline lists its 737-800 configuration at 185 seats and a maximum range of 3,078 nautical miles, giving the type sufficient capability for its principal domestic markets and much of the international portfolio now under review.
The three-engine Yakovlev Yak-42D carries 120 passengers in Izhavia’s layout and has a published range of 1,566 nautical miles. The two types and their cabin specifications remain displayed on the airline’s official fleet page, but neither can be used by Izhavia for commercial service without a valid AOC.
The interruption has not closed IJK. Izhavia combines the airline, airport, maintenance base, tour operator and travel agency under the same regional government-owned company. Its passenger notices said the airport continued operating while partner airlines took over booked sectors.
For the airline operation, however, the next milestone is Rosaviatsiya’s assessment of the new application. Until certification is completed, Izhavia remains responsible for its customers and corporate infrastructure without being able to produce its own commercial flying program.
Bottom Line
Izhavia’s November target depends on proving that the deficiencies behind the previous AOC’s annulment have been corrected. Even if it clears that process, the proposed withdrawal of 79 international rights would leave the carrier rebuilding from a substantially narrower regulatory base.
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