Revaluating aircraft leasing contracts in the pandemic era: navigating the challenges of invoking force-majeure by applying hardship under international commercial Law

Resumo

A maioria das aeronaves são adquiridas por meio de contratos de leasing, e a carga financeira recai sobre o locador devido ao seu financiamento de equipamentos pesados para os locatários nesses
contratos. Portanto, para garantir que o locatário cumpra com o pagamento do aluguel ao locador,
uma cláusula “contra todas as probabilidades” é redigida no contrato. Isso obriga o locatário a efetuar o pagamento, independentemente de qualquer mudança circunstancial que dificulte isso. No entanto, devido à pandemia, as companhias aéreas têm sofrido uma forte escassez de dinheiro que dificulta o cumprimento de suas obrigações contratuais. As companhias aéreas estão discutindo a possibilidade de invocar força maior nesses contratos para justificar o não cumprimento e evitar danos. No entanto, levando em conta os desenvolvimentos do Direito Aéreo Internacional Privado e a natureza do contrato, será difícil tomar tais medidas. Este documento propõe aplicar a onerosidade excessiva codificada nos Princípios de UNIDROIT sobre contratos comerciais internacionais para que as companhias aéreas possam renegociar o contrato com locadores em vez de evadir completamente suas obrigações contratuais. Isso proporcionará tranquilidade ao locatário e garantirá que sua obrigação com o locador seja mantida durante a pandemia.

Palavras-chave:

contrato de arrendamento de aeronaves “contra todas as probabilidades” força maior onerosidade excessiva descumprimento renegociação

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