Eurocontrol accuses Russia of stealing hundreds of leased aircraft

Eurocontrol, the European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation is sounding the alarm bells after Russian airlines are simply keeping their leased aircraft. Eurocontrol says that leasing companies risk billions in damage. 

On 14 March, Russian president Putin signed a new law to make it possible for Russian airlines to keep (seize) their foreign aircraft fleet and give the airlines the opportunity to operate them on domestic routes.

During a video webinar held yesterday, Director-General for Mobility and Transport Henrik Hololei, said: “Most of the aircraft that they could fly abroad are the leased aircraft from European or American origin (Boeing/Airbus/Embraer), which they (Russia) now have stolen from their rightful owners, the lessors.”

“By re-registering these aircraft into the Russian registry, they have gravely violated the international aviation law and the basic act of the Chicago Convention.”

“Enormous fortunes were in fact stolen by the Russians,” said Eurocontrol director general Eamonn Brennan.

Aircraft leasing companies and foreign owners have until 28 March to repossess their aircraft from Russian airlines before sanctions kick in. The new law makes it much more difficult for lessors to repossess the roughly 515 aircraft, valued $10 billion.