PAUL DUFFY / MOSCOW
Carrier forges lease agreement for up to 27 Western aircraft after lengthy deliberations
Aeroflot Russian Airlines has formalised its long-awaited fleet-renewal plan, signing a lease agreement with GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS) for up to 27 aircraft.
The deal, which comprises 18 new Airbus A320s and up to nine Boeing 767-300ERs, calls for deliveries to start in April. The aircraft will replace Aeroflot's existing Western fleet of 11 Airbus A310s, 10 Boeing 737-400s, and two 777-200ERs which are to be returned to lessors and owners. Aeroflot already operates four 767-300ERs leased from GECAS, and it is unclear if the new deal includes these aircraft.
The agreement follows an extensive evaluation of proposals from a wide range of leasing companies and, according to airline sources, Aeroflot has negotiated "very favourable terms". It is understood that the agreement has been structured so that Aeroflot will have to pay "little or no" penalties for the early termination of leases on its existing fleet.
Two of the A310s are leased from GECAS, five more are leased through Airbus and the remainder are thought to be financed. The 737-400s are believed to be financed, while the 777s are midway through seven-year lease terms from International Lease Finance.
Earlier this month, many of Russia's leading airlines, including Aeroflot, AviaTrans, Dalavia, Kras Air, Sibir and Tyumen, met the minister of transport and Russia's aerospace industry body Rosaviakosmos to call for a reduction in the level of tax applied to imported aircraft.
The airlines argued that the Russian industry was unable to support their needs in an expanding market, but this was rejected by the industry which is urging the government to maintain tax at the current level.
Source: Flight International
