Kommersant: Russian airlines are preparing for the risks due to the arrest of aircraft abroad

Russian airlines are preparing for the risks due to the seizure of aircraft abroad. According to Kommersant, the airliners can be arrested from those companies that decide not to return the aircraft after March 28, the deadline set by the sanctions.

Fears are related to the fact that following the US, which banned the service of Boeing from Russia, the same restrictions for Airbus could be imposed by the EU.

To protect its SSJs from the risks of arrest, Red Wings, which is part of Rostec, plans to return eight Airbuses to their owners. Such a move would allow the carrier to “eliminate the risks” of arrests of SSJ 100s abroad, and SSJ 100s are still the only aircraft that can continue flying abroad without the threat of arrest. However, if their operators do not return their Boeing and Airbus to foreign owners by March 28, then these domestic aircraft may also be arrested, media writes. In commercial airlines, according to the United Aircraft Corporation, there are more than 160 “Superjets”, 11 more – in business aviation and departmental.

Rossiya Airlines, the largest SSJ operator (68 aircraft), has so far refused to return Airbus to its owners, because then the entire Aeroflot group would have to return foreign aircraft.

Let’s add, on March 18, the US Department of Commerce banned refueling, the provision of spare parts and services for 99 Boeing aircraft operated in Russia. So far, agreements on opening special ruble accounts have been reached with two lessors – DAE Capital (UAE) and BOC Aviation (Singapore), but this will not solve problems with maintenance and flight insurance. DAE leased 22 aircraft for Aeroflot, Pobeda, Nordwind, Red Wings, S7, Smartavia and Utair, and BOC.