Aeroflot A321 stranded in Geneva for four and a half years

An Airbus A321 that once flew for Aeroflot has been sitting at Geneva Airport for about four and a half years, with no maintenance in that time, according to an account of its condition. The jet, registered VP-BOE, arrived from Moscow on 27 February 2022 and was due to return there, but European airspace had closed to Russian aircraft shortly before.

Little inside the cabin has changed. The tanks are still full, meals remain on board and have produced a foul smell, and a rodent infestation is thought possible.

Who owns the A321 is unclear. It was originally held by the Russian leasing company GTLK, or its Irish subsidiary GTLK Europe Dac, which the Irish courts placed in liquidation in 2023 after sanctions against Russia. The Irish firm Teneo Restructuring Ireland is the liquidator, tasked with seizing and selling GTLK assets abroad to compensate creditors. Teneo is said to have traced about 70 aircraft and 20 ships, some already sold.

The Geneva aircraft is in poor shape. Besides the lack of maintenance, the engines were never covered, and there are said to be significant problems with the electronics as well as cracks in the structure. The chances of it flying again are considered low.