Skip to content

Airline insolvencies in Germany: Questions and challenges for aircraft lessors

Headlines in this article

Related news and insights

Publications: 03 April 2024

The growing role for CLOs in restructurings

Publications: 27 March 2024

Increased Focus on Forced Labor in the U.S. and EU: Enforcement and Legislation

Publications: 27 March 2024

Hydrogen update Germany - new regulatory and market developments

News: 21 March 2024

Allen & Overy advises arrangers on takeover of Encavis by KKR

Airlines under pressure

The market for airlines is under extreme competitive pressure. We have seen some recent examples of European airlines that have gone into insolvency proceedings (Air Berlin, Condor, Germania, Monarch, Small Planet, Flybe). Airlines are struggling with volatile commodity markets and political instabilities (trade wars, protectionism). In addition, the Covid-19-Crisis (‘Coronavirus’) is leading to further distress.

Flight routes have been suspended and in March 2020, the U.S. government has cancelled all air travel from the EU to the U.S. UK regional airline Flybe had to file for administration in March due to a Covid-19 related liquidity shortfall. Just days after the Flybe insolvency, Norwegian Air Shuttle had to receive state aid from Norway. Other airlines are considering asking for state-aid to overcome the Covid-19 crisis.

Read more about the questions and challenges for aircraft lessors in our brief snapshot.