VEB Leasing firms up MC-21 deal

Russian lessor VEB Leasing firmed up an MOU with Irkut Corporation for 30 Irkut MC-21 airliners on the first day of MAKS 2013. The $2.5 billion deal was first announced at this year’s Paris Air Show. Deliveries are expected between 2018-2022.

VEB Leasing will lease some of these aircraft to Transaero Airlines and UTair Aviation, two of Russia’s largest air carriers. MOUs to that effect were also inked on the first day of the show. UTair intends to lease 10 MC-21s with deliveries in 2018-2020. Similar terms apply to the MOU with Transaero, which will acquire six aircraft.

UTair confirms that its MC-21s will come from the VEB Leasing/Irkut 30-ship batch. Andrey Martirosov says the order may be firmed up after the manufacturer has confirmed the aircraft’s design performance capabilities. Irkut will cover each airframe with a 36-month warranty from the date of delivery and will provide the operators with entry-into-service support.