NordStar Airlines
Russia · Active
Airline Identity
History
NordStar was launched on 17 December 2008 by mining conglomerate Norilsk Nickel, built on the operations of the pre-existing regional carrier serving the remote Taimyr Peninsula in Russia's Far North, and flew its first service in mid-2009. Headquartered in the mining city of Norilsk, the airline was created to provide reliable air links for Norilsk Nickel's workforce and the isolated region, later growing into a broader regional and domestic Russian carrier. On 25 March 2022, amid the fallout of Russia's invasion of Ukraine and Western sanctions, Norilsk Nickel sold NordStar to the airline's own management, ending its founder's direct ownership.
Current Operations
NordStar operates a fleet of Boeing 737-800 aircraft serving around 26 destinations across Russia and, more recently, China, from its main base at Alykel Airport serving Norilsk. Like other Russian carriers, NordStar is on the European Union's list of airlines banned from EU airspace, a restriction stemming from sanctions imposed after 2022, and it ranks among Russia's larger domestic airlines by traffic. It is not a member of any global airline alliance and now operates under employee/management ownership rather than its original corporate parent.
Last verified 2026-09-02· Source: airline public disclosures, company press releases & aviation-industry reporting.