Marubeni-owned aircraft lessor retrieves two Russian aircraft (updated)
16/03/2022 10:34
(Adds spokesperson comment, details and context)
By Yuki Nitta
TOKYO, March 16 (Reuters) - The U.S.-based aircraft leasing
firm owned by Japan's Marubeni Corp 8002.T and Mizuho Leasing
Co Ltd 8425.T has recovered two of the 12 aircraft it has been
leasing to Russian airlines, it said on Wednesday.
Connecticut-based Aircastle Ltd company is one of multiple
lessors scrambling to retrieve aircraft leased to Russian
airlines before sanctions, imposed in response to Russia's
actions in Ukraine, take effect on March 28. urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL2N2VB04H
urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL1N2V308G
So far it has retrieved two of the aircraft, an Aircastle
spokesperson said, adding it had leased aircraft to six Russian
airlines as of February.
"It is our best intention that all Russia-based leases be
terminated and that all aircraft be returned to our possession,"
the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson declined to give further details,
describing the situation as "difficult and fluid".
Russia this week passed a law allowing the country's
airlines to place airplanes leased from foreign companies on the
country's aircraft register - a manoeuvre likely to stoke
Western fears of a mass default involving hundreds of jetliners.
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Russian airlines have almost 780 leased jets, with 515
leased from abroad.
The Dublin-based aircraft leasing arm of Sumitomo Mitsui
Financial Group (SMFG) 8316.T , another major Japanese bank,
has said it has 35 aircraft leased to five Russian airlines.
The book value of those aircraft is around $1.7 billion,
SMFG said on Wednesday.
(Reporting by Yuki Nitta; Writing by Sakura Murakami; Writing
by David Dolan;Editing by Elaine Hardcastle)
((david.dolan@tr.com; +81 3 6441 1526; Reuters Messaging:
david.dolan.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))