Clifford Chance

Clifford Chance advises SMBC Aviation Capital on the delivery of the first A321NEO aircraft to be operated by Aeroflot

The Clifford Chance team has advised SMBC Aviation Capital, from SMBC Aviation Capital’s direct order with Airbus, on the delivery of one Airbus A321NEO aircraft ("Aircraft") equipped with two CFM LEAP-1A32 engines to Aeroflot, Russia’s largest airline group which globally ranks among the top 20 by passenger numbers. The Aircraft is the first A321NEO to be operated by the carrier.

The delivery is part of the transaction between the company and Aeroflot, which comprises of three A320NEO (new engine option) and two A321NEO aircraft, from the direct order with Airbus. The remaining four aircraft are scheduled for delivery in the coming weeks.

The Clifford Chance team advising on the deal was led by the Moscow office managing partner and head of the banking & finance practice Victoria Bortkevicha, counsel and co-head of Russian asset finance group Vadim Turtsev, and associate Dmitry Elkin.