Stephenson Harwood advises Air France on sale-leaseback transaction

Law firm Stephenson Harwood LLP has advised Air France, part of the Air France-KLM Group and one of the world’s leading airlines, in the context of the sale and leaseback of two Boeing 777F long-haul freighter aircraft.

This transaction involved funds managed by subsidiaries of Apollo Global Management and Merx Aviation, a global aircraft leasing, management and financing company.

The aircraft, manufactured in 2009, were sold by Air France to and acquired by an aviation platform established by Apollo, which invests in a range of aircraft types, vintages, and jurisdictions, is serviced by Merx and leased back to Air France.

The team was led by partner Laurence Hanley, who was assisted by associate Diane de Bustamante.