US brokerage sues Italy’s EGO Airways for $250k

Aircraft broker and asset manager Air Exchange says it is seeking damages in excess of USD250,000 against Italy’s EGO Airways (E3, Milan Malpensa) for the alleged breach of a lease brokerage agreement.

In a statement, the American firm said that it had filed the lawsuit – 30717/2021 – with the civil court in Milan on July 15, 2021.

“Despite being committed contractually to Air Exchange as its sole lease arranger until September 2021, EGO Airways leased a CRJ900 [sic] late in 2020 and reportedly is planning to lease several additional aircraft – all in violation of the terms of exclusivity of its agreement with Air Exchange,” the firm said.

Although Air Exchange identified the CRJ-900 as the type added by EGO Airways, the Italian carrier, in fact, operates a single E190 leased from Azorra Aviation. It added the aircraft in October 2020 and used it to launch first charter flights in December 2020 and then, once COVID-related lockdown in Italy was relaxed, scheduled flights in late March 2021.

EGO Airways did not respond to ch-aviation’s request for comment.