I-Fly

I-Fly is a Russian airline established in 2009. The carrier was created as a charter airline operating on behalf of Tez Tour, a Russian travel company whose co-founder and co-owner Alexander Burtin is also associated with I-Fly. Its principal base is Moscow, with operations centered mainly on Vnukovo International Airport. The airline’s original business model was closely connected to the package-tour and leisure-travel market. Rather than positioning itself primarily as a large scheduled network carrier, I-Fly provided air transport for tour-operator programs and charter itineraries. Its fleet history has included Airbus A319 and A330 aircraft, as well as a Boeing 757-200. The Airbus A330 has been particularly relevant to the carrier’s longer-haul and higher-capacity operations, while the A319 and Boeing 757 formed part of its earlier or previous fleet. I-Fly later operated as a wet-lease airline, supplying aircraft and operating services for other aviation or travel-industry customers. This model differs from a conventional airline brand that sells most seats directly under its own scheduled network: the aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance are generally provided as an integrated service to another carrier or travel operator. I-Fly’s transition toward wet-lease activity reflects the changing conditions of the Russian aviation market and the disruption of international tourism and aircraft-leasing arrangements. The airline’s charter relationship with Tez Tour continued until 2023, after which the company was described as operating as a wet-lease carrier rather than primarily as a Tez Tour charter airline. Its business has been affected by international aviation restrictions. I-Fly is banned from flying in European Union airspace, a restriction that limits its access to European destinations and constrains the geographic scope of its operations. As of August 2025, I-Fly was reported to operate Airbus A330 aircraft. Aircraft-leasing issues have also become a material part of its public profile: Air Lease Corporation has sought to recover four Airbus A330s over unpaid lease obligations. The dispute illustrates the wider financial and operational pressures facing Russian airlines with aircraft leased from international lessors after changes in sanctions, payment channels and cross-border aviation access. I-Fly remains a Russian aviation brand with a relatively specialized operating profile. Its identity is associated with charter flying, wet-lease capacity, Moscow-based operations and links to the Tez Tour travel business, rather than with a broad independent scheduled passenger network. Publicly available information does not establish a detailed consumer-facing product portfolio, a stock-market listing or a separate corporate group structure beyond these operational and ownership connections.

I-Fly was established in Russia in 2009 as a charter airline linked to the tour operator Tez Tour. Its formation reflected the role of charter airlines in the Russian package-tour market, where carriers provide aircraft capacity for organized leisure programs rather than relying exclusively on independently sold scheduled services. Alexander Burtin, a co-founder and co-owner of Tez Tour, is identified as I-Fly’s founder and majority owner. The airline’s base is Moscow, and its principal operating airport has been Vnukovo International Airport. During its earlier operating history, I-Fly used aircraft including two Airbus A319-100s and a Boeing 757-200. The fleet later included Airbus A330 wide-body aircraft, giving the airline the ability to provide larger-capacity passenger services and longer-range charter or lease operations. The Boeing 757-200 was documented as part of the fleet in 2015, while the A319 aircraft formed part of the carrier’s earlier narrow-body fleet. For much of its initial identity, I-Fly was associated with Tez Tour charter programs. The airline operated flights on behalf of the tour operator, connecting the travel company’s holiday programs with destinations served by charter capacity. This relationship distinguished I-Fly from a conventional network airline whose principal commercial identity is built around a large schedule of directly marketed routes. By 2023, I-Fly was no longer described primarily as a Tez Tour charter carrier. Its operating profile had developed toward wet leasing. Under a wet-lease arrangement, the airline supplies an aircraft together with crew, maintenance and insurance, allowing another airline or travel business to obtain operating capacity without independently providing the complete aviation platform. This model can support flexible capacity deployment but also exposes the operator to aircraft availability, lessor relationships and regulatory constraints. I-Fly’s more recent history has taken place amid major restrictions on Russian aviation. The airline is banned from operating in European Union airspace, limiting its ability to serve European destinations and affecting the commercial geography of its fleet. The restriction is part of the regulatory environment shaping the operations of Russian carriers and is not evidence that the airline itself is defunct. Aircraft leasing has been another significant issue. As of August 2025, I-Fly was reported to operate Airbus A330 aircraft. Air Lease Corporation was seeking the recovery of four Airbus A330s because lease payments were allegedly not being made. The aircraft dispute illustrates the difficulties faced by Russian airlines in maintaining international leased fleets when sanctions, payment restrictions and limitations on cross-border aircraft recovery complicate normal lessor-airline relationships. As of 2026, I-Fly is described as active and majority owned by Alexander Burtin. Public reference material provides limited information about its current route network, detailed corporate structure, financial performance and executive team. The available record supports describing I-Fly as a Moscow-based Russian charter and wet-lease airline rather than as a broad scheduled passenger-airline brand.

• 2025

  Airbus A330 fleet and leasing dispute reported

  [1]I-Flyen.wikipedia.org

  As of August 2025, I-Fly was reported to operate Airbus A330 aircraft, while Air Lease Corporation sought recovery of four aircraft over unpaid lease payments.

• 2023

  End of the Tez Tour charter period

  [1]I-Flyen.wikipedia.org

  I-Fly’s operation as a charter airline on behalf of Tez Tour ended in 2023, after which the carrier was described as primarily operating through wet-lease services.

• 2015

  Boeing 757-200 documented in the fleet

  [1]I-Flyen.wikipedia.org

  A Boeing 757-200 is recorded as part of I-Fly’s fleet in November 2015, alongside Airbus narrow-body aircraft.

• 2009

  I-Fly is established

  [1]I-Flyen.wikipedia.org

  I-Fly is founded in Russia as a charter airline associated with the Tez Tour travel business.

A Russian charter and wet-lease airline serving tour-operator and aviation-industry demand, with operations centered on Moscow and a fleet historically built around Airbus and Boeing narrow-body and wide-body aircraft.

• Passenger air transport · 2009

  Charter passenger flights

  I-Fly’s original commercial role was charter passenger transportation, particularly for tour-operator programs. The airline operated flights on behalf of Tez Tour, linking package-holiday demand with dedicated aircraft capacity. Charter operations differ from a conventional scheduled network because frequencies and destinations are often organized around seasonal tourism programs and contracted travel demand.

• Aviation services · 2023

  Wet-lease services

  I-Fly’s later operating profile has emphasized wet leasing. In this model, the airline provides aircraft together with flight crew, maintenance and insurance to another aviation or travel customer. Wet leasing allows the customer to obtain operating capacity without building its own complete fleet and operational platform, while I-Fly remains responsible for the flight operation within applicable regulatory limits.

• Wide-body passenger aircraft services

  Airbus A330 operations

  The Airbus A330 has been part of I-Fly’s later fleet and provides substantially greater passenger capacity and range than the carrier’s earlier Airbus A319 aircraft. The type is suited to longer-haul charter and wet-lease assignments, although aircraft availability and leasing constraints have affected the fleet.

• 2023

  Shift toward wet-lease operationsStrategy

  Background

  I-Fly had previously operated as a charter airline for Tez Tour, but that charter relationship ended in 2023.

  Action taken

  The airline’s subsequent public description emphasized wet-lease operations rather than its former primary role as a Tez Tour charter carrier.

  Aftermath

  I-Fly’s positioning became more focused on supplying aircraft and operating capacity to other aviation or travel customers.

  Source

1. 1I-Flyen.wikipedia.org