Aeroflot A321 Abandoned at Geneva Airport Since 2022

An Aeroflot Airbus A321 has been parked and abandoned at Geneva Airport since February 2022. The aircraft, registration VP-BOE, is in severe disrepair and is unlikely to ever return to service.

The jet arrived from Moscow Sheremetyevo on the afternoon of February 27, 2022. It was scheduled for an immediate return flight to Russia. As it taxied for takeoff, European countries began closing their airspace to Russian carriers. The flight was canceled, and the plane returned to the gate. It has remained there ever since.

Reports indicate the A321 has full fuel tanks and uneaten meals still in its galley. The source states the aircraft is believed to be rat-infested. More critically, the plane is reportedly developing structural cracks. Its engines are uncovered and its electronics are failing due to a complete lack of maintenance over more than four years.

The Cost of Stranding

Parking fees for the aircraft continue to be paid, according to the source. The cost is 30,000 Swiss Francs, or approximately $36,540, every month. If payments have been made for the entire duration, the total exceeds $2 million.

The plane has been moved only once since 2022. It was towed in June of that year to free its parking spot for a Swiss Air Force aircraft during a United Nations conference.

Why This Aircraft Cannot Leave

Many Russian-operated aircraft were stranded abroad at the war's outset. Most were resolved when Western leasing companies repossessed their assets. This A321's situation is unique.

It was owned by the Russian leasing company GTLK through an Irish subsidiary. Sanctions forced the liquidation of that subsidiary. Swiss authorities, specifically the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), enforce strict rules.

Sanctions prohibit the sale, export, maintenance, or overhaul of aircraft for the benefit of Russian companies. Russian aircraft are also banned from taking off from Swiss territory. The only exception would be if the plane posed a direct safety or environmental hazard.

A Pointless End for an Airbus Jet

The irony is profound. The sanctions designed to immobilize the aircraft have led to its physical decay. The source notes it has now deteriorated to the point where flying is likely impossible without prohibitively expensive work.

The only remaining option may be to part out the aircraft for scrap. Its fate remains uncertain, a concrete symbol of the ongoing geopolitical conflict's impact on aviation.