Aeroflot is claiming to be the first Russian carrier to introduce aircraft under wet-lease, following a change in the country’s air transport regulations.

The airline has reached a preliminary agreement to take three Airbus A330s operated by Moscow-based Ifly.

Ifly uses both A330-200s and -300s.

Aeroflot says the Ifly wet-lease will bring to 15 the number of A330s in its fleet.

It intends to use the aircraft on domestic services to destinations in eastern Russia, including Vladivostok, Khabarovsk, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk and Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.

Aeroflot chief Sergei Alexandrovsky says the measure is a “timely and effective” solution to enable carriers to increase transport volume and improve accessibility to various regions.

He says he expects wet-leasing to develop further and enable Russian carriers to lease aircraft from foreign airlines, to serve international routes.

Wet-leasing had not been permitted in Russia until an amendment to the country’s Air Code in early August, which took effect on 1 September.

Federal air transport regulator Rosaviatsia’s chief, Dmitry Yadrov, says wet-leasing is a “new mechanism” which will “contribute to the development of civil aviation” in Russia.

“This will allow [carriers] to quickly increase their fleet of aircraft – for example, during periods of high demand or when new routes appear,” he states.

Operators transferring their aircraft under wet-lease, Yadrov adds, provides an opportunity to reduce expenses.

“Wet-leasing will have a positive effect on the production activities of all parties to the agreement,” he says.