Pobeda Airlines, a self-proclaimed "low-cost" airline, has changed its online check-in rules for its domestic flights. It has made online check-in available from all Russian airports and extended the check-in deadline to 40 minutes before departure, according to its own correspondent. Travel.ru.
Previously, online check-in was only available from Moscow and St. Petersburg. Furthermore, it closed several hours before departure, leaving no chance for those who didn't expect to make it to airport check-in on time or who bought their tickets at the last minute.
However, the time limits for purchasing baggage allowance remain the same. Baggage allowance can only be purchased online at least four hours before departure. After that, it can only be purchased at the airport at a higher rate.
When departing from Russian airports, online check-in remains available only for those who have purchased seat selection. All other passengers will have to check in at the airport (free of charge).
When departing from international airports, all check-in options must be available to everyone free of charge (however, online check-in closes 4 hours before departure, and is not available at all from Dubai). Those who have not purchased seat selection will be assigned a seat at the airline's discretion (Pobeda's algorithm includes deliberately seating all passengers flying together and those who have not purchased seat selection in separate rows, separated by distance). Airport check-in from abroad closes 40 minutes before departure (but 60 minutes before departure at the airports of Istanbul, Berlin, Bergamo (Milan), Dubai, Karlovy Vary, Leipzig, Eindhoven, Cagliari, Genoa, Eilat, and Riga).
Furthermore, several changes have occurred at Pobeda's base airport, Moscow's Vnukovo. First, mobile boarding passes are suddenly no longer available there (for customers of all airlines). Boarding passes must be printed out anyway—either at home or at the airport using special printing machines (located at the entrance to pre-flight security).
Secondly, the boarding deadline for Pobeda flights at Vnukovo has been adjusted to make it more convenient for passengers. Boarding now closes 20 minutes before departure, rather than 25. At all other airports, boarding for Pobeda flights remains 25 minutes before departure.
Source: travel.ru