The acquisition of six Boeing 737-800Fs and two Boeing 747-400Fs reflects the Russian aviation sector’s ongoing struggle to secure Western aircraft components
Image source: Volga-Dnepr Group
Russian airline business Aeroflot is reportedly interested in buying Boeing freighters owned by the Volga-Dnepr Group to potentially use as spare parts for its own aircraft.
Russian news service Kommersant reports that the Aeroflot Group is set to receive a total of eight freighter aircraft - six Boeing 737-800Fs and two Boeing 747-400Fs.
The six Boeing were previously operated by Volga-Dnepr’s Atran subsidiary, while the 747Fs were used by its AirBridgeCargo business.
The publication said that the aircraft are most likely to be used as spare parts for aircraft operated by the Aeroflot Group, rather than being operated as freighters.
The Russian airline industry has faced challenges acquiring spare parts for its Western aircraft as a result of sanctions related to the Russia-Ukraine war. The deal is valued at around €130m.
According to Kommersant, Volga-Dnepr has previously completed a settlement with the aircraft owner, AerCap.
The aircraft have essentially been grounded as a result of the conflict in Ukraine, as a result of sanctions that stop Volga-Dnepr airlines from operating over European and North American airspace, while lessors have been chasing their return.
The deal is not expected to affect the potential sale of the Volga-Dnepr Group, Kommersant said.
In mid-September, the news service reported that the Volga-Dnepr Group could be sold to the ex-chief executive of Red Wings Airlines as the company continues to battle financial difficulties caused by sanctions.
Quoting sources familiar with the matter, Kommersant said that Yevgeny Solodilin, the former chief executive of Russia’s Zhukovsky Airport and Red Wings Airlines, is in talks to buy the group.
The newspaper said that the two parties have signed an initial agreement, which would cover the purchase of airlines Volga-Dnepr, Atran and AirBridgeCargo, as well as Volga-Dnepr Technics and Volga-Dnepr Engineering.
Solodilin is believed to be in a better position to help the company retrieve impounded aircraft from abroad and negotiate with lessors and Boeing over other aircraft in the fleet.
