Russian Aviation Adaptation: Aeroflot Targets Boeing 737-800BCF Components
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Aeroflot is exploring the possibility of acquiring Boeing 737-800BCF cargo aircraft from the subsidiary of Volga-Dnepr, Atran. According to a report by the Russian newspaper Kommersant, the operation aims to use these aircraft as a source of spare parts for its low-cost airline, Pobeda.
The agreement, which would be the first of its kind in Russia, would involve the transfer of usage rights over five Boeing 737-800BCF aircraft, whose valuation at the end of 2022 ranged between 8 and 9 billion rubles (USD 75 to 85 million). The aircraft, currently managed by Atran, are owned by AerCap, a leasing company based in Ireland.
Interest in key components
According to Kommersant, Aeroflot does not plan to convert these cargo aircraft into passenger planes, as international sanctions would make the process significantly more challenging and costly. Instead, the airline is primarily interested in engines, landing gear, avionics systems, and other essential components to be used in Pobeda’s fleet, which exclusively consists of Boeing 737-800s.
See also: Russia with ACMI: following regulatory changes, Aeroflot adds four Airbus A330s on wet lease
Aeroflot’s interest in these aircraft is not new. Atran operates six Boeing 737-800BCFs, with a combined valuation of 10.5 billion rubles at the end of 2022. In the past, another Russian airline, S7 Airlines, also attempted to acquire these aircraft but failed to reach an agreement.
The report highlights that this operation takes place against a backdrop of international sanctions, which have prompted Russian airlines to seek alternative solutions to ensure continuity in their operations. According to experts cited by Kommersant, settlement agreements like the one Aeroflot is pursuing are effective and legal tools for managing such transactions in the current context.
Aeroflot already has experience with this type of negotiation, having acquired a Boeing 737-800 from Royal Flight in 2023 under a similar agreement. This bolsters expectations of success for the new operation, which could become a reference model in the Russian aviation sector.
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