S7 Airlines has temporarily restricted first officers from performing landings at most airports following a series of hard-landing incidents across its network. The new policy will remain in place until October 1 as the airline reviews safety procedures.
Under the updated rules, co-pilots will only be allowed to conduct landings at S7’s main bases including Moscow Domodedovo Airport, Novosibirsk, Vladivostok, and Irkutsk. At other airports, landings must be performed by captains, except during approved training flights and pilot proficiency checks.
The decision comes as S7 faces operational challenges due to international sanctions, limited access to aircraft parts, and maintenance difficulties. A significant number of aircraft in the airline’s fleet remain grounded, including many Airbus A320neo jets affected by engine-related issues.
With fewer aircraft available, the airline is aiming to reduce the risk of additional groundings caused by hard-landing inspections. Such inspections can remove aircraft from service for extended periods, creating further pressure on operations.
S7 Airlines also plans to increase flight data monitoring and analysis to identify landing trends, investigate incidents faster, and improve operational reliability while maintaining as much available capacity as possible.
