Overview
- On January 22, IrAero flight RD382 from Irkutsk to Mama was switched from a scheduled Antonov An-24 passenger aircraft to an Antonov An-26 configured for freight.
- Passengers, including children, sat on folding sidewall seats beside cargo with luggage strapped down along the center of the cabin.
- The East Siberian Prosecutor’s Office opened an investigation citing complaints that travelers were not informed of a change in the conditions of carriage.
- IrAero says its contract allows aircraft substitutions and argues the An-26 can operate in a legitimate combi passenger‑freight configuration.
- No enforcement outcome has been announced, and reporting links the reliance on older Soviet-era types to sanctions that have constrained parts and support for Russian carriers.