Grazie ice & FORD, so why d0n't we see LH, BA, AF with Irish regs?
As I said before there is quite a number of issues to be taken into consideration when you lease/buy an aircraft, and where to register it is only one of them.
There is not a unique answer to your question, simply it depends ...on what the airline wants to achieve (or can
) and what the guys with the dollars (banks, lessors, etc,) want to play and the law firms advising. Even third parties can be involved as equity provider, for instance, and last but not least the tax man or men (it depends, can be more than one).
So, in a nutshell, there is not a straight forward answer to your question except ...it's always matter of convenience. As far as the EI reg is concerned, Ireland is possibly one of the best places in the world to avoid withholding taxes (avoid NOT eluding taxes!). An example: it is not worthy for a US based company to lease an a/c straight to an Italian airline. The US co. will be by far better off to set up a sub in Ireland and then lease the aircraft because the stream of lease payments will be not affected by any witholding tax. Repossession of the a/c is another very importan issues, ask the guys who had I reg a/c to Volare
.
Sorry but this is a forum, and the subject cannot be explored too much further ismply because there is an unlimited number of answers. You may recall AF a/c with N reg, don't you?
