(Reuters) – Ireland’s High Court is to begin hearing a dispute around insurance claims for aircraft stuck in Russia on June 11, a week later than scheduled, after parties in the case asked for additional time to prepare, a court spokesman said on Thursday.
Lessors are suing dozens of insurers around the world for billions of dollars after more than 400 planes were unable to leave Russia due to Western sanctions in response to Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine that forced the termination of their leases.
The world’s number two and three lessors, SMBC and Avolon, as well as BOC Aviation, CDB Aviation, Nordic Aviation Capital and Carlyle Aviation Partners, are pursuing their claims in Ireland, where more than 60% of the world’s leased aircraft are owned or managed.
The world’s biggest aircraft lessor, Irish-based AerCap, is pursuing its insurance claims through London’s High Court.
The Irish case is to be held at a special venue as no court in Ireland is large enough to accommodate the 180 lawyers involved, Justice Denis McDonald told a hearing last year. The case had been due to begin on June 4.
