easyJet sued for at least $72m over six A319s it ended leases on after Russia sanctions

# What happened Liquidators for an Irish leasing company connected to Russia's state transport lessor have sued easyJet in London's High Court for at least $72 million. The claimant is STLC Europe Eight Leasing Limited, an Irish subsidiary of GTLK (State Transport Leasing Company). The dispute concerns six Airbus A319 aircraft whose leases easyJet terminated after Russia was hit with EU aviation sanctions in 2022.

# The claim and the numbers Times reported the claim breaks down roughly as:

• $36.7 million for unpaid rent and interest
• $32.5 million for lost aircraft value
• €2.8 million for airport charges

That totals at least $72 million. The claim is being pursued by liquidators appointed after Irish courts ordered GTLK Europe and GTLK Europe Capital into liquidation on May 31, 2023. The liquidators are selling assets to recover funds for creditors.

# Where the jets were and what happened to them The six A319s had been out of service and stored since March 2020, according to Cirium fleet data cited in reporting. They were already grounded well before Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. At the time of the lease terminations:

• Three aircraft were stored in Cyprus. Those three were later recovered and sold, but the liquidators say their poor condition lowered the sale prices.
• Three aircraft were in storage in Madrid and have not been sold.

The assets' age and long storage period are part of the background to the valuation and sale outcomes the liquidators cite.

# The legal and sanctions context EU aviation sanctions adopted on February 25, 2022 limited supplies of aircraft, spare parts, maintenance, insurance and related services to Russian operators and entities. GTLK itself was added to the EU sanctions list on April 8, 2022, which froze assets and restricted payments to the company.

# Positions reported

STLC Europe Eight and its liquidators argue the planes were outside Russia and that the leasing company was based in Ireland, so the claimed abandonment and resulting value loss are the responsibility of easyJet.

# Why this matters

# Quick timeline

• March 2020: The six A319s enter long-term storage during the COVID-19 collapse in air travel.
• February 25, 2022: EU adopts broad aviation sanctions on Russia.
• April 8, 2022: GTLK added to the EU sanctions list.
• May 31, 2023: Irish High Court orders GTLK Europe entities into liquidation and appoints liquidators.