AerCap, one of several aircraft leasing companies based in Ireland, confirmed yesterday Thursday that it has reached an agreement to receive $645 million for 18 aircraft and 5 engines which are in the hands of Aeroflot and that the company n had not paid after last year’s crisis with Western economic sanctions.
The operation concerns exactly 17 aircraft and engines, while for another aircraft, Aeroflot continues to negotiate with other companies to resolve the conflict. It must be remembered that Russia and Aeroflot have never indicated that they do not want to pay, but that, according to Russian authorities, the problem arose from Western refusal to facilitate transactions and exchange rubles. In fact, Russia had offered to put the money in a ruble account available to the owners of the planes.
The broker NSK, which had insured these planes, paid the company AerCap, which therefore abandoned all legal action. From now on, Aeroflot will be the real owner of the aircraft initially leased and which were in the irregular situation of “hijacking”.
