Transaero Airlines (Moscow Vnukovo) has converted an outstanding order with Boeing (BOE, Washington National) for four B787-8s into B747-8s with delivery scheduled to begin in 2015. The arrival of the new B747s will bolster the airline's growing widebody fleet which, from next year until 2019, will see one A380-800 arrive each year replacing its outgoing fleet of twenty B747-400s.

In a statement, the Russian carrier said the decision to make the switch was governed by "commercial" factors.

Against the backdrop of increasing tensions with the West, Transaero says it saw a shift in Russian vacationer's tastes this last summer with close to 33% preferring to go to Asian, as opposed to European, resorts this year.

Transaero has also deferred the delivery of six SSJ 100/95s from Sukhoi Civil Aircraft (Zhukovsky) to a later date. The aircraft, on lease from VEB Leasing, are to be based out of St. Petersburg for use on flights to Russia's north-western regions. Deliveries were scheduled to start in 2015 and continue through 2017.