Russia's Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, and state conglomerate Rostec are discussing a new fee on air passengers to help compensate for the cost of leasing and operating new Russian-built aircraft. Kommersant first reported the discussions, citing sources, on September 23, 2026.
The exact size of the fee has not been finalized. According to most of the outlet's sources, it could reach up to 500 rubles per ticket on domestic flights and up to 1,000 rubles on international flights; one source suggested figures as high as 700 and 2,000 rubles, respectively. Russian carriers transported 81.45 million passengers on domestic flights and 27.4 million on international flights in 2025 — based on this, the fee could generate between 68.12 and 84.41 billion rubles annually, depending on the final rate. One source told Kommersant the initiative is still at an early stage, with no final decision yet on the amount or collection method.
For Central Asia's aviation market, this is more than a domestic Russian policy story. Air connectivity with Russia remains structurally significant for several countries in the region, particularly on routes closely tied to labor migration. Should the fee eventually apply to international routes, it could add cost pressure to tickets for passengers flying between Central Asia and Russia.
The impact would likely be uneven: countries with dense, migration-driven air links to Russia would be more exposed than those whose carriers have already diversified their route networks toward other markets.