Russia allows S7 Airlines to return leased B737 MAXs

Dhaka: Russian carrier S7 Airlines has been granted a special permit from Russian authorities to return its two Boeing 737 MAX aircraft to their owners.

The two jets, both Boeing 737 MAX 8 variants, are owned by Aviation Capital Group (ACG) and Air Lease Corporation (ALC), two leasing firms based in California.

S7 Airlines has essentially been stuck with the aircraft for over two years since the MAX groundings in March 2019.

Under Russian law, carriers must be given special permission from the government before they can return leased aircraft.

The airline, along with another unnamed Russian carrier, wrote to the government earlier in 2022 asking to return their leased aircraft to Western owners. They argued that it was impossible to operate the aircraft without Western support.

Russia's Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin signed off on this a few days, giving S7 the all-clear to return the aircraft. Interestingly, the exchange won't be possible directly out of Russia due to sanctions, so a third-party nation, reported to be Turkey, will be involved.

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