SkyMiles credit on SU flight operated by Rossiya Airlines (Aeroflot subsidiary)
 

Would a flight operated by Rossiya Airlines (a subsidiary of Aeroflot) obtain Delta SkyMiles? It is marketed by Aeroflot and has a SU flight number.

Detailed info: SVO-PKC SU6285
Economy/Coach (B) - this looks like an Aeroflot fare code eligible for 100% SkyMiles, according to the Delta website

That being said, Delta.com has no mention of Rossiya flights and the phone representatives were of no help. An online search (incl. FT) does yield some positive information that Rossiya flights are equivalent to "normal" Aeroflot in the eyes of Delta, but would like to be 100% sure before booking.

I don't see why it wouldn't

I thought so too. Unfortunately, there is information on FT pointing to both cases where Rossiya flights were able to accrue miles on SkyTeam FFprograms, and where credit was refused. Hence, I'm wondering if there has recently been any clarity with particularly Delta.

I do. Codeshares don't always earn mileage credit. Even when the operating airline is under the same ownership, it isn't a guarantee. Rossiya is not part of Skyteam, and is not a partner of Delta.

Exceptions should be listed on the mileage earning page. For the rest, the below should apply.



It's really a case-by-case basis though. Sorry OP I don't know specifically. But I wouldn't count on it. Please post back with the results if you try!

EDIT: Someone in this recent post says FV=SU in these cases for lounge access, etc, but does not mention points earning or DL specifically. https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/russ...d-rossiya.html

As far as getting DL miles, it depends. If it is operated on behalf of Aeroflot then yes you'll earn miles. If however it is a Aerflot codeshare operated by Rossiya then no. In the first case, Rossiya is simply providing a plane and crew for what would otherwise be an SU flight. In the latter, Rossiya is operating their own flight and Aeroflot is selling seats on it.

This is just like AF coded Cityjet flights.

From whay I can see SU6285 is simply operated on behalf of SU by Rossiya, thus get credit.

Not disagreeing, but how can you tell?

Rossiya is on Aeroflot's code share 2018 list (https://www.aeroflot.ru/us-en/about/flight), so Aeroflot considers it to be a code share. For this reason, do not expect to earn Delta miles on Rossiya flights (if you do, then great!!).

Until 2 weeks, they had a fairly decent base in Vnukovo, they moved their entire domestic operation (bar St P, Sochi, and Makhachkala) to Sheremetyevo recently and have more or less taken over Aeroflot's Far East flights to Magadan, Yuzhno Sakhalinsk, Petropavlovsk Kamchatsky (from December), and Khabarovsk, and most Vladivostok flights.

Should have gone for the actual SU flight ;) (assuming they are still running when you go to Kamchatka!)

This is super helpful, thank you for the response! What was also exciting about this flight, was that, despite the relatively cheap ticket, it was marked with a B fare code, meaning it was full economy and earning 100% Delta miles. This is unlike most other (reasonably priced) Aeroflot tickets, which receive 25% or 50% for both RDM and MQM.

So far they look to have two flights at day (at least on some days), one each operated by Aeroflot and Rossiya

Looks like they are still running up into end of Dec, at least. Rossiya is slightly cheaper tix, but, yes, I hear the seat pitch and service are worse. Good thing, though, they are running a non-ER 777-300, which are doing to become a rare aircraft soon enough. Anyways, possibly to fly "normal" SU metal and Rossiya in each direction and see the difference for oneself. :)

I bought an Aeroflot marketed flight operated by Rossiya and put my SkyMiles number in there.

Credited to my account with zero miles. Don't expect to receive any miles on anything not operated by Aeroflot itself.

However it depends on the type of codeshare. Ie if Rossiya is simply operating the flight on behalf of SU vs. operating their own flight and SU sells seats on their flight.

I've actually had that happened with "regular" SU flights too. Had to request mileage credit to be reinstated and it worked. So in your case it might be worth to check with Delta and still try to get these miles.

On a separate note, my best short flight meals have been on SU flights going to Mineralvody.

Supposedly yes - if it were operated by SU, they told me. Because it was operated by a non-ST partner, I was denied.

Similar to the CityJet operated but AF marketed flights to LCY. Elite plus benefits but no DL credit once the flight posted.

DL connection are separate carriers. However, like some AF Cityjet flights, they're operated on behalf of the marketing airline. They're not codeshares where the marketing airline sells a seat on OAL flight.

AF1116 CDG-DUB is eligible for SM credit. It's operated on behalf of AF by Cityjet.
DL5720 is eligible for FB credit. It's operated on behalf of DL by Compass.

AF3800 CDG-AUH is NOT eligible for SM credit. It's operated by Etihad for Etihad. AF is simply selling seats on the EY32 flight.
DL6798 is not eligible for FB credit. It's operated by Virgin Australia for Virgin Australia. DL is simply selling seats on VA002.

Cityjet stopped operating it's own flights in October 2018. Thus all AF coded Cityjet flights are now on behalf of Air France and thus eligible for credit.

Did you invent the terminology here (on behalf of), or is there somewhere that this is used? I can't find anything, and have asked directly here how you can tell, but no response.

It sounds like you have decided that if an airline doesn't sell their own flights, then they are now operating 'on behalf' of another airline. Your example is CityJet.

However, Rossiya DOES operate their own flights and sell their own seats (maybe not on all routes?). In some cases SU codeshares on are on flights that are also sold by the operating carrier. So your definition kind of breaks down, in this case.

So I'll ask again, where did you find this definition 'on behalf of' and how do you determine if a codeshare is 'on behalf of' or just a normal codeshare?

Simple. It's how the airlines phrase it. Goto flightstats and plug in the flights I listed. It'll tell operated on behalf of or operated by depending on type of codeshare. This has been discussed previously on FT. Also in this forum specifically in regards to Cityjet flights.

AS for
You've misunderstood what was said. I never said they don't operate any flights at all. In fact it's why I posted the Cityjet example. Till October Cityjet ran some flight on their own and some on behalf of other airlines. Thus why you got credit on some AF coded Cityjet flights, but not others. It depended on if the particular flight was operated on behalf of AF or was an AF codeshare on an actual WX flight. Same reason could book some AF coded Cityjet flights, but not others using Skymiles.

Cheers, thanks

Kamchatka is definitely not double daily every day, same for Sakhalin (I flew there about 3 weeks ago), I think they're between 9-12 a week each, unlike Khabarovsk (at least twice daily) and Vladivostok (thrice daily).

I actually did what you did between Moscow and Vladivostok, not that I paid too much attention to the aircraft but yeah Rossiya was less than desirable. Have fun!

Update for everyone
 

Good news! The Rossiya flight was credited with 100% base miles and MQM (as per the respective SU fare class), 1 MQS and zero MQD. Overall, a great outcome. Skyteam benefits, such as an extra bag, also seemed to have been applicable, although they we not used.

I know it’s been awhile since there was a data point here. I have a J flight US-CDG-LED on AF. The CDG-LED is an AF flight number with a caveat that it is ‘operated by Aeroflot’ on one page and then ‘operated by Rossiya Airlines for Aeroflot’ on another. Is this likely to get mileage credit?

Yes you should get credit. In this case Rossiya is simply operating the SU flight on behalf of SU. This isnt Rossiya operating (selling) their own flight and SU selling seats on it.

If it doesn't post correctly you'll be in hell getting credit. Most DL agents dont understand the difference between operated on behalf of vs. operated by.

Ok. Thank you for the quick response.