Aviation

Etihad & Emirates keen on acquiring stake in SriLankan Airlines

The CEO of Sri Lankan Airlines claims that the airline is ready for privatization and that it has turned a profit for the first time in fifteen years. Investors from a variety of industries, including the aviation and non-aviation sectors, are interested in purchasing a portion of Sri Lankan Airlines.

A request for qualification (RFQ) has been sent out to draw in possible investors. With almost 99% of the airline presently held by the Sri Lankan government, the sale is expected to be completed by June of next year.

Businesses from many nations, including India, are thinking about making investments. In September, speculations were mentioning Tata Sons, the Adani Group, and Emirates as possible suitors. However, Campbell Wilson, the CEO of Air India, denied these reports.

Richard Nuttall also mentioned that Gulf operators would gain a great deal from the airline’s convenient access to its neighbour in Asia. “India is the big prize for everybody,” he declared. He hinted that airlines such as Emirates, which formerly held 40 percent of SriLankan, may be among those that comply with the Colombo government’s desire to privatise the airline.

With 23 Airbus planes and flights to 39 international locations, SriLankan Airlines is a major carrier of passengers between Sri Lanka and India. Sri Lankan designated carriers have unlimited access to most Indian cities, including major metropolitan regions, based on a merely liberal air services agreement between Sri Lanka and India.

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Aviation

Aeroflot Buys Used Planes for Spare Parts Amid Sanctions

In the face of ongoing Western sanctions that have severely impacted Russia’s aviation industry, Aeroflot, the country’s largest airline, has devised a strategic plan to bolster its fleet’s spare parts inventory.

The airline is set to acquire five Boeing 737-800BCF freighters from Atran Airlines, a move that will allow it to dismantle the aircraft for critical components. The planes, which will be transferred to Aeroflot’s low-cost subsidiary Pobeda, will not be converted into passenger jets but instead will be stripped for valuable parts to support existing operations.

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Aeroflot’s plan to purchase these Boeing 737-800BCF freighters comes as part of a broader strategy to mitigate the effects of Western sanctions, which have crippled the Russian aviation sector. With the sanctions restricting access to essential aircraft parts and spare components, Aeroflot is exploring alternative ways to maintain and repair its fleet.

Instead of converting the freighters from cargo to passenger planes, a process deemed “unreasonably expensive” under current sanctions, the airline intends to focus on extracting high-value components such as engines, landing gear, avionics, and other essential systems.

The deal will be structured in a way that allows Aeroflot to indirectly purchase the freighters through an insurance settlement with the aircraft’s lessor, AerCap.

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The Russian government’s insurance company will reimburse the aircraft’s value, and the planes will then be leased back to local operators. This method circumvents some of the restrictions imposed by international sanctions while ensuring that the airline gains access to the necessary components to support its fleet.

By dismantling the aircraft for spare parts, Aeroflot aims to secure critical resources for the ongoing maintenance of its existing fleet. Components from the Boeing 737-800BCF freighters, such as engines and avionics, are expected to be reused in other aircraft within Aeroflot’s network, ensuring that the airline can keep its operations running smoothly