Aviation Disputes
Key Contacts
Matheson’s Aviation Disputes practice is recognised as market leading in handling the most significant and complex litigation in this highly specialised sector. Our team combines exceptional depth of experience with a breadth of expertise, bringing together some of Ireland’ s most accomplished aviation litigators and sector specialists.
Who we advise
We represent aircraft lessors, airlines, airport operators, aircraft manufacturers, financiers and lenders, insurers and reinsurers and regulatory authorities. Through our close working relationships with leading international law firms, forensic investigation specialists, and other relevant disciplines, we ensure that clients receive a seamless, fully coordinated service wherever their disputes arise.
Matheson’s Aviation Disputes services:
- aviation regulation and enforcement;
- aircraft repossession;
- leasing and financing disputes;
- aviation competition matters;
- general commercial disputes within the sector;
- deregistration;
- freezing orders;
- cross border enforcement;
- restructuring and insolvency and strategic advice on risk management; and
- insurance, and regulatory issues.
Aviation Disputes Experience
We have advised:
- four leading global leasing companies in four of a total of six Irish pathfinding cases relating to insurance coverage under Lessors Hull War and Hull All Risks policies for aircraft detained in Russia following the invasion of Ukraine, the largest litigation to come before the Irish courts;
- a leading service provider for the most widely-used commercial jet engines, and related entities, in relation to insurance coverage under its lessee’s Hull All Risks and Hull War policies proceedings for aircraft and engines in Russia following the Russian invasion of Ukraine;
- an international airline in its jurisdictional challenge of an application by a FitzWalter entity for recognition and enforcement of its English judgment (> $200 million) in pursuance of a global enforcement strategy;
- Norwegian Air in connection with its successful restructuring through parallel Irish and Norwegian court processes (and recognition in the US under Chapter 15 of the US Bankruptcy Code);
- the examiner of Cityjet in relation to its cross-border restructuring;
- in relation to an Irish scheme of arrangement and subsequent Chapter 11 of the Nordic Aviation Group, the world’s largest regional aircraft lessor;
- Azorra Aviation on its acquisition of 37 aircraft and recapitalisation of certain aircraft owning silos of Nordic Aviation Capital pursuant to a prearranged US Chapter 11 process;
- a Middle Eastern state-owned airline in relation to the recognition and enforcement of a foreign judgment in Ireland;
- a private airline in a significant contractual dispute with a global leader in aircraft painting, interior refurbishment, and aviation graphics;
- Aviareto (the International Registrar) in Commercial Court proceedings and registry matters;
- a major international airline in connection with repossession of an aircraft;
- an aircraft leasing company on insurance coverage in connection with US litigation under D&O and civil liability policies, securing cover and delivering a commercial outcome without litigation;
- lessors and airlines in Commercial Court proceedings in connection with the Cape Town Convention and the discharge of registrations on the International Registry;
- Stobart Air in petitioning the High Court for its winding up and the appointment of liquidators;
- Aer Arann in its restructuring by way of court appointed examiner; and
- lenders in establishing debt remediation and temporary repossession. structures for realising secured assets.
