Russia Allows Return of Boeing 737 MAX to Lessors

DALLAS - Following approval from the Russian government, Globus Airlines (GH), a division of S7 Group, can now return two Boeing 737 MAX aircraft to international lessors.

According to a document released by the Russian Ministry of Transport, up until December 31, 2022, the transfer of the two Boeing 737-8 MAX aircraft with the registrations VQ-BGV and VQ-BGW may be carried out through a third country.

Because of the sanctions put in place against Russia after its invasion of Ukraine, the GH has been unable to operate the aircraft.

According to aerotime.aero, Minister of Transport Vitaly Savelyev told Russian news agency TASS that the airline is even more “deprived of the opportunity to receive spare parts and support for these new aircraft”.

The Aircraft

US-based Air Lease Corporation (ALC) leased the Boeing 737-8 with registration number VQ-BGW, while Aviation Capital Group (ACG) leased the 737-8 with registration number VQ-BGV.

Both aircraft were added to the GH's fleet in 2018 and have been stored since March 2019, when the contentious aircraft type was grounded globally following two catastrophic incidents in Ethiopia and Indonesia.

The S7 Group was the only airline company in Russia with a Boeing 737 MAX fleet. S7 Group placed an order for ten 737 MAX airplanes in total, but only took delivery two.

The group's Siberian-based division carrier has not returned its MAX aircraft to commercial service since they were grounded in March 2019. In July 2021, the Russian Federal Air Transport Agency recertified the use of the type for commercial services, becoming one of the last major countries to do so.

Featured image: N57002 S7-Siberia Airlines Boeing 737-8 MAX. Photo: Nick Sheeder/Airways