Aviation
Wikborg Rein is a trusted aviation law specialist, handling complex, high-value disputes and transactions. It is widely recognised for its strategic insight, industry expertise, commercially focused approach, and global reach.
Wikborg Rein is a trusted first choice for handling some of the aviation sector’s most high-value and legally complex challenges. Our core aviation team is based in London, working seamlessly with local expertise in our international offices to provide comprehensive seamless support across Europe and Asia.
With decades of experience, we have an in-depth understanding of the industry’s demands and the needs of its participants. Our strong client relationships are a testament to our reputation for intellectual strength, strategic insight, and tailored legal solutions.
We advise a diverse range of aviation stakeholders, including airlines, aircraft owners, original equipment manufacturers, maintenance organisations, financiers, and insurers. Our expertise spans both contentious and non-contentious matters globally on a global scale.
Agile and responsive, we provide swift, precise legal advice while also being and are equipped to handle large-scale, document-heavy, and legally intricate cases. In disputes, we have extensive experience managing legal proceedings in both international arbitration and the English courts, having acted in some of the highest-value aviation cases ever brought to trial.
On the non-contentious side, our practice covers a broad spectrum of services, including regulatory and compliance matters, sanctions and financing. We remain attuned to both longstanding and emerging challenges in the aviation industry, embracing innovation to help clients achieve their goals.
As a well-established and trusted partner, Wikborg Rein is committed to delivering the best possible outcomes for our clients, whatever their objectives. Whether pursuing or defending claims, our forensic approach ensures effective solutions to even the most complex aviation issues.
We offer
- Product Liability
- Commercial Dispute Resolution
- Insurance Coverage and Defence
- Debt Recovery
- Finance & Leasing (including business jets)
- Carrier Liability
- Regulatory
- Non-Contentious Commercial Aviation (including contractual and general advisory work)
Who we represent
- Insurers and their insureds
- OEMs
- MROs
- Airlines and operators
- Financiers, lessors and lessees
- Commercial parties
Examples of our team's work include:
Aviation disputes
- Defended All Risks Insurers as Lead Strategic Counsel against claims from lessors for many billions of dollars arising from the retention of hundreds of aircraft in Russia following the invasion of Ukraine and imposition of sanctions by western nations, with conduct of English High Court proceedings, and in a supervisory and advisory capacity in other jurisdictions.
- Advised a major Asian airline on its potential liabilities under an Aircraft Purchase Agreement following an alleged default on a scheduled Pre-Delivery Payment.
- Advised a UK-based charter airline on a claim against two MROs for negligent performance of maintenance tasks leading to an IFSD incident.
- Advised on coverage regarding claims totalling over US$500m for London insurance market
- Advised a FTSE100 engineering company on a claim brought by an engine manufacturer following three IFSD incidents allegedly caused by a fault in a part it had designed and manufactured.
- Advised the same engineering company in a claim against a large European aluminium supplier for the supply of off-spec materials.
- Advised an offshore helicopter operator on contractual position under various helicopter lease agreements following the prolonged grounding of the EC225 type.
- Advised an MRO on claims brought an Indian airline following equipment failures suffered by two Boeing 737 aircraft.
- Advised a large electronics company in proceedings brought by an airline seeking damages from the designers and manufacturers of various components, following a fire onboard a Boeing 787 aircraft.
- Advised an engine manufacturer on a claim brought by an airline following a fire onboard a Boeing 777 aircraft at Las Vegas.
- Advised a European airline on a lease dispute with lessors regarding the early return of Boeing 737 MAX aircraft.
- Advised a major aerospace manufacturer on claims brought against it by a satellite manufacturer following delivery of allegedly off-spec components.
- Advised a helicopter operator in relation to the crash of one of its aircraft.
- Advised a helicopter manufacturer following a high-profile fatal crash involving one of its aircraft.
Regulatory
- Advised a large middle eastern airline on proposed changes to seating arrangements in light of European 'Persons of Reduced Mobility' regime.
- Advised a US airline on the importation of specialist equipment into the UK.
- Advised a Scandinavian airline on the importation of animals into the UK.
Sanctions
- Acted for an EU-based airline on its options under lease agreements with a now sanctioned entity.
Corporate/finance
- Assisted Arctic Securities, Pareto Securities and SB1M on the private placement of approximately NOK1.3 billion and the subsequent listing of Norse Atlantic ASA on ENX Growth.
- Assisted Norse Atlantic ASA in securing approximately US$15 million in new capital through an investment from its founding shareholder, B T Larsen & Co Ltd.
- Advised Norwegian Air Shuttle in restructuring its unsecured bond maturities by securing a package backed by take-off and landing slots, ensuring the successful alignment of bondholder interests with the company's strategic plan, enabling strengthened liquidity and operational resilience.
