Aeroflot’s cargo and mail volumes have recovered after two difficult years, handling 205,795 tonnes, a figure not seen since 2013.

Cargo and mail had been 204,554 tonnes in 2013, before falling 18.7 per cent in 2014 to 166,262 tonnes, and another six per cent in 2015 to 156,335 tonnes before the 31.6 per cent recovery in 2016.

International volumes were up 27 per cent in 2016 to 97,968 tonnes and domestic cargo and mail was up 36.2 per cent to 107,827 tonnes.

In December, cargo and mail rose 50.2 per cent to 24,698 tonnes with an international surge of 78.8 per cent to 13,095 tonnes and a domestic increase of 11,603 tonnes.

Aeroflot added six Boeing 737-800s, two Boeing 777-300ERs, six SSJ100s, 12 Airbus A321s and nine A320s to its fleet in 2016, and phased out five Airbus A319s, two A320s, and six A321s, increasing the fleet by 22 aircraft to 189.