Nordaero | Boeing 737 family | 2011-present

Nordaero was one of dozens of airlines that appeared following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Initially operating a fleet of TU-134s and AN-24s from its main hub in Murmansk, the company expanded with the purchase of TU-154s allowing it to operate a larger domestic network. As opposed to many other Russian airlines, Nordaero wasn't in any rush to get rid of its Soviet-era fleet, instead taking advantage of the cheap lease rates for these planes to grow. In 2004, the airline started purchasing used 737-500s in order to replace the ageing Russian fleet. By 2008 their fleet was numbering 15 737-500s, with all the Tupolevs having been retired.

In 2009 Nordaero leased 6 Q400s to retire its AN-24 fleet, however the turboprops failed to turn over the expected profit and were retired by 2013. Aiming to begin replacing the 737-500s, in 2015 the company ordered 4 used 737-700s, with the first arriving in 2017. However by then demand had increased, and management saw an opportunity to expand, so instead of replacing part of the 737-500 fleet, the larger 737s were used for expansion domestically. Along with that, Nordaero made a historical order for 21 737 MAX 7s in 2018, the first order for new aircraft in its history.

Nowadays Nordaero flies with a fleet of 16 737-500s and 4 737-700s from several hubs across Northern Russia. In recent years the company has pushed to expand internationally, and now operates to 11 destinations in Europe and the CIS region. The airline still expects to receive its 737 MAX fleet between 2021 and 2024, now under the 737-7 branding, using the new jets to fuel its expansion. The company still hasn't confirmed retirement plans for the 737-500, although it's widely believed that the arrival of the MAX fleet will spell the ending for the ageing workhorse.

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I thought the 735 needed some love, and what better place to have one than Russia