Enforcement Of Share Charges Over Cayman Islands Aircraft Owning SPVs

The aviation industry has been severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Although flying has now resumed in a limited capacity, airlines which have already been severely weakened by months of enforced inactivity are now facing a long, slow recovery, and for many the worst is not over yet. We have already seen a number of airlines enter into bankruptcy protection, and more are likely to follow over the coming months as passengers and operators adjust to the realities of flying in the post-COVID era. As a result, financiers and lessors are considering their position and looking at ways that they can improve their rights or enforce their security in a default situation. In particular, there has been an increased focus on the security that a financier would typically take over the shares in a Cayman Islands aircraft owning SPV and how, in practice, a financier can enforce their rights under this share security to gain control of an aircraft from a defaulting owner.