The number of commercial Russian airlines with operating licenses decreased in 2011, down from 160 at the start of January 2011 to 126 airlines as of December 26, Russia's Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsia) said in its materials.

A total of five certificates were allocated in 2011 to OJSC Orenburg Airlines, OJSC Rossiya Airlines, LLC Murmansk Aviation Enterprise, LLC PANKH Aviation Company, and LLC Tulpar Airline

Operating certificates were annulled for 37 airlines in January-December including LLC Avis-Amur Airlines, LLC, Jet-2000 Airlines, CJSC Air Express, LLC Aero Rent, AK Irtysh, LLC Avis-Amur, and OJSC Dagestan Airlines.

In addition, LLC Avianova's certificate has been suspended since October 2011.

Operational restrictions are in place for seven airlines, including AK Aviastar-Tu, OJSC Kirov Airlines, CJSC UTair-Cargo, and LLC AK VIM-Avia.

"The main reason for the decrease in the number of airliner carriers has been their failure to be meet certificate requirements for ensuring flight safety, financial status, and quality of services," Rosaviatsia earlier said.

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