Air Bashkortostan
| Company type | Limited liability company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aviation |
| Predecessor | BAL Bashkirian Airlines |
| Founded | 2006 |
| Defunct | October 9, 2013 |
| Headquarters | Ufa , Russia |
Area served | Russia |
| Products | Scheduled and charter airline services, aerial survey services |
| Owner | VIM Airlines (74%), Government of Bashkortostan (26%) |
Number of employees | 101 (2007) |
| Parent | VIM Airlines |
Air Bashkortostan, LLC () was an aviation company headquartered in Ufa, Bashkortostan, Russia. The airline provided both scheduled and charter services connecting its hub at Ufa International Airport with Moscow Domodedovo Airport, utilizing aircraft supplied by its parent organization, VIM Airlines.
History
Established in 2006 as the successor to the defunct BAL Bashkirian Airlines, Air Bashkortostan launched its flight operations on April 10, 2006. By March 2007, the company had a workforce of 101 employees.
In 2010, the carrier expanded its business activities to include aerial survey services, employing a specially outfitted Diamond DA-42 aircraft for this purpose.
During August 2011, the Government of Bashkortostan raised objections regarding the airline’s use of the "Bashkortostan" designation, expressing concerns about the firm’s financial stability and potential effects on the republic’s reputation. The airline's management declined to alter the name, maintaining that it adhered to all relevant legal requirements.
Passenger flight operations were terminated on October 1, 2013; the airline’s remaining three Boeing 757-200 jets were returned to VIM Airlines. Subsequently, the parent company officially dissolved Air Bashkortostan on October 9, 2013, as part of a fleet modernization strategy. Following this, Rosaviatsia revoked its operational certificate. The Federal Air Transport Agency formally withdrew its commercial air transport license on January 10, 2014.
Fleet
As of December 2013, Air Bashkortostan’s fleet consisted of:
| Aircraft | Quantity | Seating Capacity | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boeing 757-200 | 4 | 220 | Aircraft leased from VIM Airlines |
| Diamond DA42 NG | 1 | 3 | Equipped for specialized aerial imaging tasks |
Owners
- VIM Airlines – 74%
- Government of Bashkortostan – 26%