Why An Aeroflot Airbus A321 Is Rotting At Geneva Airport, Will Probably Never Fly Again

Since early 2022, an Aeroflot Airbus A321 has been parked at a Swiss airport. The plane is apparently in horrible condition, as it hasn’t received any sort of maintenance over that time, and it’s doubtful whether the plane will ever be able to fly again. That says nothing of the fact that the plane is believed to have a rat infestation, as rotting food has been sitting in the galley for years. The wildest part? Despite the plane being “abandoned,” parking fees reportedly continue to be paid for the plane…

Geneva Airport’s mysterious, abandoned Airbus A321

In early 2022, we saw Russia attack Ukraine, a war that has now been going on for well over four years. When it comes to global aviation, this has also had major implications. We’ve seen Russian airlines sanctioned, and we’ve also seen Russia respond by closing much of its airspace to foreign airlines.

Immediately after the start of the war, we saw a lot of Russian planes stuck in countries they could no longer fly out of, though over time, most of those issues have been resolved. However, there’s perhaps one most notable exception, as flagged by aeroTELEGRAPH.

An Aeroflot Airbus A321 with the registration code VP-BOE has been parked at Geneva Airport (GVA) since early 2022. It arrived in Geneva from Moscow (SVO) on the afternoon of February 27, 2022, and it was supposed to turn right around and operate the return flight to Russia.

However, as the plane taxied out to the runway, it became clear that all airspace would be closed to the plane, so the aircraft had to return to the gate, and the flight was canceled.

Since then, almost nothing has happened with the plane. Reports suggest that the A321 has full fuel tanks, and there are even meals in the galley, with the belief being that the plane is rat infested. It’s much worse than that, though. The Airbus jet is reportedly starting to have cracks form, engines haven’t been covered, and there are problems with the electronics, so it’s highly questionable whether the plane will ever fly again, unless it undergoes a prohibitively expensive amount of work.

In the over four years that the plane has been at the airport, it has only been moved once. That was in June 2022, when it had to be towed away from its parking position so that the Swiss Air Force could use the parking spot for a United Nations conference.

What’s also noteworthy is that the parking fees for the plane reportedly continue to be paid. The cost is 30,000 CHF (36,540 USD) per month. So if that payment has actually been made for the entire time the plane has been parked, we’re talking about two million USD in parking fees.

Why this one Aeroflot A321, specifically, is “stuck”

At the start of the war, lots of planes flying on behalf of Russian airlines were stranded, but over time, most of these situations were resolved. For example, many planes were actually owned by Western leasing companies, so the planes were seized, with many now flying for other airlines.

This particular Aeroflot Airbus A321 was owned by Russian leasing company GTLK, and more specifically, by an Irish subsidiary that it had. However, due to sanctions against Russia, that Irish subsidiary had to be liquidated, given that it was financially benefiting Russia.

The Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) explains the issue here. Sanctions prohibit the sale or export of aircraft to Russia, as well as the overhaul or maintenance of aircraft, for the benefits of companies in Russia. Furthermore, Russian aircraft are prohibited from taking off from Swiss territory.

The only factor that would allow the plane to be moved is if it poses a safety or environmental risk. Of course the irony is that with the plane having been abandoned for years, it has gotten to the point where it almost certainly can’t fly anymore, so at some point, just parting out the aircraft might be the only option.

So yeah, basically this Aeroflot A321 is unique for the fact that it was owned by a leasing company with Russian interests (unlike most Aeroflot planes), it was on the ground when sanctions were imposed, and it missed its ability to take off by just minutes, as European countries closed their airspace to Russian airlines, one by one.

This plane clearly won’t fly again anytime soon, so I’m curious what ends up happening here. I understand the need for sanctions, but this situation seems to benefit no one. But what are you gonna do, I guess?

Bottom line

An Aeroflot Airbus A321 has now been parked at Geneva Airport since February 2022, when sanctions against Russia were imposed. While many planes were temporarily grounded at the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, most planes eventually “moved,” particularly as foreign leasing companies repossessed the planes.

One exception has been the Aeroflot Airbus A321 at Geneva Airport. The plane missed its ability to leave Switzerland by a matter of minutes, and Swiss sanctions prevent companies with Russian interests from doing business in Russia, or of Russian planes leaving the country.

So that’s why an Aeroflot A321 is still parked at the airport. At this point the plane reportedly has cracks, and can’t even fly anymore, so it’s anyone’s guess how this all plays out. Presumably at some point the plane will just be parted out, though will that happen in a matter of months, a matter of years, or what?

What do you make of this Aeroflot A321 at Geneva Airport?