Rossiya Airlines OJSC (Russian: ОАО «Авиакомпания „Россия“», OAO Aviakompaniya "Rossiya"), operating as Rossiya — Russian Airlines (Russian: «Россия — Российские авиалинии», Rossiya — Rossiyskie avialinii) is a secondary national airline with its head office in Saint Petersburg, Russia, resulting from the 2006 merger of the Moscow-based company of the same name and Saint Petersburg-based Pulkovo Aviation Enterprise. The airline operates scheduled and charter passenger flights from Saint Petersburg and Moscow, and VIP flights on behalf of the Russian government, including the operation of the Russian presidential aircraft fleet for the President of Russia. Rossiya maintains an operational base at Pulkovo Airport in Saint Petersburg.
The airline was established in 1992 and is wholly owned by the Russian government. In 2006 the Russian government merged Rossiya Airlines with Pulkovo Aviation Enterprise and on October 29 the new airline started flying under the name Rossiya. The merger process began in December 2004. In November 2006 it was announced that the merger had been completed and Rossiya Airlines was registered in Saint Petersburg on 9 October 2006 and has a branch in Moscow and 54 offices in Russia and abroad.
An airline is a company that provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit. Generally, airline companies are recognized with an air operating certificate or license issued by a governmental aviation body.
Airlines vary from those with a single aircraft carrying mail or cargo, through full-service international airlines operating hundreds of aircraft. Airline services can be categorized as being intercontinental, intra-continental, domestic, regional, or international, and may be operated as scheduled services or charters.
American aviation pioneers, such as Rufus Porter and Frederick Marriott, attempted to start airlines using airships in the mid-19th century, focusing on the New York–California route. Those attempts floundered due to such mishaps as the airships catching fire and the aircraft being ripped apart by spectators. DELAG, Deutsche Luftschiffahrts-Aktiengesellschaft was the world's first airline. It was founded on November 16, 1909 with government assistance, and operated airships manufactured by The Zeppelin Corporation. Its headquarters were in Frankfurt. The four oldest non-dirigible airlines that still exist are Netherlands' KLM, Colombia's Avianca, Australia's Qantas, and the Czech Republic's Czech Airlines. KLM first flew in May 1920, while Qantas (which stands for Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services Limited) was founded in Queensland, Australia, in late 1920.