Airbus and Boeing to halt supply of aircraft parts to Russian airlines

theguardian.com:

Airbus has joined Boeing in halting the supply of aircraft parts and services to Russian airlines, squeezing its aviation industry in the wake of the invasion of Ukraine.

The European aerospace firm said on Wednesday it was suspending support and delivery of spare parts, in line with international sanctions.

Boeing stopped work with Russian airlines on Tuesday night after President Biden announced further sanctions on Moscow, including following Britain and the EU in banning Russian planes from its airspace.

The Seattle-based manufacturer said: “We have suspended major operations in Moscow and temporarily closed our office in Kyiv.

“We are also suspending parts, maintenance and technical support services for Russian airlines. As the conflict continues, our teams are focused on ensuring the safety of our teammates in the region.”

Both manufacturers were unwilling to predict how it would affect Russian aviation in the short and medium term. About two-thirds of the total Russian fleet are either Boeing- or Airbus-made – 332 Boeing and 304 Airbus aircraft – and while maintenance and repair of all aircraft in service is routine and ongoing, the impact is unlikely to be immediate unless critical parts fail.

Western leasing firms will also attempt to repossess jets operated by Russian carriers, with 515 planes leased from foreign companies, according to data from Cirium.

Analysts said leased planes on the ground in Russia could be cannibalised to keep others flying. Peter Walter, of industry consultant IBA, told Reuters: “Because parts are limited, we will expect to see aircraft that are on the ground in Russia being robbed in order to keep the remainder of the fleet operational.”

Sanctions will block the delivery of 37 new planes to