Irish aircraft leasing firm AerCap wins $1bn in insurance dispute over jets taken by Russia

London court rules in favour of several other aircraft lessors in multi-billion-euro legal dispute over jets retained in Russia after invasion of Ukraine

London's High Court on Wednesday ruled in favour of Irish company AerCap, the world's biggest aircraft leasing firm, and several other aircraft lessors in a multi-billion-euro legal dispute over jets retained in Russia since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

The world's largest aircraft lessor, Irish firm AerCap, can recover over $1bn (€870m) in relation to jets stuck in Russia since the invasion of Ukraine, London's High Court ruled on Wednesday, though that is less than the roughly $2bn (€1.75bn) it sought.

The court ruled broadly in favour of leasing companies in a multi-billion-dollar legal dispute with insurers, following a mammoth trial of one of the biggest insurance disputes ever heard in London which concluded in February.

The lawsuit had focused on almost 150 jets and some engines, previously with a total value of up to $4.7bn (€4.1bn), though settlements – including on the first day of the trial in October – have whittled the numbers down.

Judge Christopher Butcher said in a summary of his ruling that the aircraft were lost and "that loss occurred on 10 March 2022, when a piece of Russian legislation banned the export of aircraft and aircraft equipment from Russia".

That meant the lessors could recover from their "war risks insurers", rather than under a broader all risks clause, as the cause of the loss was "an act or order of the Russian government", the judge said. He also ruled that insurers were not prevented by EU or US sanctions from indemnifying the claimants for the loss of aircraft which had been leased to Russian airlines.

AerCap's law firm Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer said the judgment secured $1.035bn for AerCap, "in addition to substantial recoveries achieved in prior settlements". The $1.035bn sum is, however, less than AerCap's claimed losses of over $2bn had it been able to recover under its all risks policy.

The judge said in his ruling that AerCap had received just over $1.3bn from six settlements between August and December 2023 with lessees and a Russian insurance company.

AerCap, Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE), Merx Aviation, KDAC Aviation Finance, Falcon, and Genesis had led the claims against a string of insurers, including AIG, Lloyd's, Chubb, and Swiss Re.

KDAC settled all its claims during the trial while AerCap, DAE and other lessors have periodically disclosed partial settlements.

Reuters