easyJet (London Luton) is defending a USD72 million High Court claim filed in London by the liquidators of STLC Europe Eight Leasing Limited, the insolvent Irish arm of Russia’s state-owned GTLK - State Transport Leasing, over six A319-100s whose leases easyJet terminated in 2022 after the lessor was placed under European Union sanctions.

The Financial Times reports that the pleaded losses include at least USD36.7 million in unpaid rent and interest, USD32.5 million in diminished aircraft value, and EUR2.8 million euros (USD3.3 million) in airport charges.

Three of the jets, stored at Larnaca in Cyprus, were later recovered and sold in poor condition. The three others remain at Madrid Barajas, unsold.

According to ch-aviation data, the six aircraft are: G-EZFX (msn 4385), G-EZFY (msn 4418), G-EZFZ (msn 4425), G-EZGA (msn 4427), G-EZGB (msn 4437), and G-EZGC (msn 4444). All retired from revenue service in March 2020 at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The dispute dates back to April 2022, when easyJet terminated the leases with GTLK after the lessor was added to EU sanctions lists over Russia's invasion of Ukraine, as ch-aviation reported at the time. GTLK was initially left out of EU sanctions but was added to the bloc’s list in the second half of April.

In May 2023, Ireland's High Court placed GTLK Europe and GTLK Europe Capital into liquidation, appointing liquidators to sell their assets and recover sums owed to creditors. The London High Court lawsuit is part of that recovery effort.

easyJet told the Financial Times that EU sanctions prevented it from maintaining or repairing the aircraft, while the liquidators argue that the aircraft were outside Russia and the lessor was Irish-registered, so sanctions should not have barred them from maintenance.

The case is "STLC Europe Eight Leasing Limited v. easyJet Airline Company Limited and another", case number CL-2026-000471, filed in the Commercial Court on August 19, 2026.

Asked for comment, an easyJet spokesperson said the airline "intends to defend the claim in full", declining to comment further as the litigation is ongoing.