The seizures of the planes and 11 jet engines by Russian authorities caused AerCap to take a $2.7 billion pre-tax charge during the quarter, causing the company to report a net loss of $2 billion rather than the $500 million profit it would have made without the hit. But company executives said the quarter was actually a good one and they see better times ahead as global demand for flying continues to recover from the Covid pandemic.
“But for the impact of Russia, this is a strong underlying quarter for the company,” said CEO Aengus Kelly in comments to analysts. “Across all our business lines … we are seeing improving demand, increased utilization of our assets and the improving financial health of our customers.”
The company was able to recover 22 jets and 3 engines before they were seized by Russian authorities. It has filed insurance claims to seek to recover the lost aircraft, although some of those claims are with Russian insurance companies. Those policies are backed by Western re-insurance companies, but AerCap stated that “the timing and amount of any recoveries under these policies are uncertain.”
Aircap should easily ride out the financial loss of the jets, said Richard Aboulafia, managing director with AeroDynamic Advisory. Even if the war were to end and the sanctions were to be lifted, the planes have lost their operating certificates in the eyes of Western aviation regulators.
“Once the documentation goes, there’s very little point in even trying to get them back,” he said.
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