Dobrolet (Moscow Sheremetyevo) will indeed return to the skies this autumn under the name "Dobrolet Plus" Russia's Izvestia newspaper has reported. The paper says parent Aeroflot (SU, Moscow Sheremetyevo) has already acquired the rights to various Dobrolet Plus-related internet domains ahead of the planned relaunch.

To ensure the airline's operations are not affected by targeted European and US sanctions as its predecessor was, Dobrolet’s CEO Andrey Kalmykov said negotiations with leasing companies from China and Singapore have already begun. As an additional measure, initial flights will cover Ufa, St. Petersburg, Samara Kurumoch, Perm Bolshoye Savino, Volgograd, Sochi, Tyumen Roschino, and Surgut.

Following the downing of Malaysia Airlines (MH, Kuala Lumpur International) flight MH17 over rebel-controlled territory in eastern Ukraine, the LCC was forced to suspend operations just 6 weeks after launching when EU and US sanctions forced Western firms to suspend trading with the airline. As a result, Dobrolet's lessor, AWAS, terminated its B737-800 lease agreement while MRO firm, Lufthansa Technik, also ended its dealings with the airline.