Russian government to permit wet-leasing under amendment to country's Air Code

Russia’s government has approved measures allowing wet-lease of aircraft, through an amendment to the country’s aviation regulations which will take effect from 1 September. The amendment – one of a number of changes to the Air Code signed by president Vladimir Putin on 8 August – features in the section on aircraft chartering. It refers to arrangements under which civil aircraft are provided by a lessor to a lessee for a fee, over a specified period, along with the service of crew members for transporting passengers, baggage, cargo and mail. Wet-leasing in Russia has previously been prohibited but this restricts the fleet flexibility of carriers. The Air Code amendment, published by the government, formalises wet-leasing arrangements along similar lines to those applied internationally. It states that the lessor and lessee must have valid operator certificates, adding that the aircraft provided under wet-lease is not included in the lessee’s air operator’s certificate. Lessors, it says, are obliged to ensure maintenance of airworthiness and compliance of the crew with federal aviation requirements, and retain all obligations to members of the cockpit and cabin crews.<br/>