What happened
S7 Airlines, a major Russian carrier and former oneworld member, has implemented a temporary policy change effective through October 1, 2026, due to a series of hard landings causing aircraft damage. Under the new rule, first officers are permitted to perform landings only at the airline's four largest stations: Irkutsk (IKT), Moscow (DME), Novosibirsk (OVB), and Vladivostok (VVO). At all other airports, only the captain may land the aircraft. The policy is attributed to fleet maintenance pressures following sanctions, which have limited the airline's ability to source parts and keep planes airworthy. With roughly one-third of the fleet grounded, the airline is taking precautions to minimize further damage to remaining aircraft. While first officers will still perform landings on approximately half of flights, the restriction limits their experience to these four hubs