RuAviation

The property of Mexican airline Interjet, including spare parts for Airbus and SSJ100, has been put up for auction as part of bankruptcy proceedings. The carrier has purchased 22 short-haul Russian planes, which by now have lost airworthiness.

It is reported that only spare parts are being sold so far as the Superjet 100 themselves remain pledged by a consortium of banks involving VEB. Irkut notes that it is now legally and technically impossible to return the planes themselves from Mexico: they have not been diagnosed since 2019. Russian airlines are not officially interested in the auction, although they need the components, and lawyers believe the sanctions risks are minimal.

Half of the parts for the SSJ100 can only be purchased together with spare parts for Airbus. But about a hundred items can be purchased separately: in particular the saloon doors, “SaM146 engine parts” and more than 500 Michelin tyres and “wheels under restoration” (the last lot will cost $2 million). The nomenclature of the components suggests that they were “removed from at least three SSJs”. The list of 400 pages on the Airbus is even more extensive: from wires and seat belts to CFM56 engine parts.

Restoring the airworthiness of the SSJ100 aircraft of the Mexican airline Interjet, which are up for auction in Mexico, is practically impossible and returning them to Russia is not feasible, Irkut’s press service told RIA Novosti.

“Before the sanctions were imposed, the possibility of returning some of the aircraft or components was theoretically considered, but the company’s bankruptcy procedure did not allow anything to be done practically. After the imposition of sanctions, this is no longer legally possible, and given the time that has passed since the termination of operation, return is technically and legally unfeasible,” the press service said, adding that Irkut specialists were involved in assessing the technical condition of Interjet aircraft in 2019.

“It was estimated at the time that restoration of airworthiness was possible for some of the aircraft, but the costs were not commensurate with the possible effect of further sale or operation. At present, it is estimated by airline representatives who negotiated and were in Mexico – including having limited access to the aircraft – that restoration of airworthiness is virtually impossible,” the press office said.