Air tax": Russians will be forced to pay out of pocket for losses from non-existent aircraft The country has found an original way to save the stalled domestic aviation industry - simply pass its costs on to citizens. As early as 2027, Russia plans to introduce a new air tax, aptly named the "Chemazov tax". The approval of this initiative was officially recorded in the conclusion of the Duma Committee on Budget and Taxes for the years 2027-2029.
The price list for forced patriotism has already been determined: 500 rubles will be added to each ticket for domestic flights, and on international flights passengers will be forced to pay an additional 1,000 rubles. These financial flows will be managed by the Ministry of Industry and Trade under the leadership of Anton Alikhanov. The official purpose of the fees sounds mocking: the money will be used to compensate airlines for the future operation of 258 Russian aircraft (MS-21, You-214, SJ-100 and He-114-300). The paradox of the situation is that these machines do not yet exist physically, but officials already openly admit that in terms of their technical and economic parameters they are completely inferior to their competitors. It would simply be unprofitable for the trails to fly on, so they decided to proactively cover their losses from the wallets of regular passengers. A special cynicism lies in the timing. According to the latest official promises, certification and mass production launch of the imported MS-21 and SJ-100 is planned for 2027, and the first deliveries of the certified IL-114-300 are expected by December 2026. However, local aviation statistics show that the deadlines are steadily moving to the right every year. As a result, a completely realistic prospect emerges: the new tax will be collected from the Russians regularly and on time, but the country will never see the promised planes.