Russian flight grounded at BIA: AG to file a motion today

Aeroflot issue 

• The Commercial High Court reiterated that the Court did not issue any order against the government of Sri Lanka but it was made only against the first defendant
• On June 2, the Colombo Commercial High Court issued an Enjoining Order preventing a Russian Aeroflot flight from taking off

By Lakmal Sooriyagoda

The Airport and Aviation Services Ltd through the Attorney General’s Department is to file a motion today (6) before Colombo Commercial High Court urging to vacate the Enjoining Order issued against the Russian Aeroflot flight.

On June 2, the Colombo Commercial High Court issued an Enjoining Order preventing a Russian Aeroflot flight from taking off within the territorial jurisdiction of Sri Lanka pursuant to a request made by Celestial Aviation Trading Limited in Ireland 
Additional Solicitor General Sumathi Dharmawardena PC appearing for the Airport and Aviation Services Ltd (second defendant) had last Friday urged the Court to suspend the operation of Enjoining Order issued against the Russian Aeroflot flight. However, the Commercial High Court reiterated that the Court did not issue any order against the government of Sri Lanka but it was made only against the first defendant, Aeroflot Russian Airlines, regarding a contractual dispute.

Celestial Aviation Trading Limited in Ireland obtained this Enjoining Order against Aeroflot Russian Airlines for its failure to comply with the terms of a Lease Agreement between two parties. 

In this application, the plaintiff company had named the Public Joint Stock Company-Aeroflot Russian Airlines and N.C. Abeywardena Acting Head of Air Navigation Services as the defendants of the petition. 

• Additional Solicitor General last Friday urged the Court to suspend the operation of Enjoining Order

Russia says 78 of its aircraft have been seized abroad

March 22 (Reuters) - Seventy-eight Russian aircraft have been seized abroad, the Interfax news agency quoted Transport Minister Vitaly Savelyev as saying on Tuesday, as Moscow grapples with the consequences of international sanctions over events in Ukraine.

Sanctions have cut off the supply of most aircraft, parts and services to Russia, while Russian airlines have 515 jets leased from abroad.

“(We have) lost 78 planes,” Savelyev said, adding that these aircraft were seized abroad and would not be returned to Russia.