Dispute Escalates Over Air Sénégal Airbus Leases

A leasing dispute between Air Sénégal and Carlyle Aviation Partners has intensified after reports that Senegal’s Infrastructure, Land, and Air Transport Minister, Yankhoba Diémé, ordered the lessor to remove aircraft from Dakar Blaise Diagne International or face daily fines of XOF1 billion ($1.78 million). Carlyle has declined to comment on the government’s position.

The conflict involves four Airbus aircraft leased to Air Sénégal through three Irish special-purpose vehicles tied to Carlyle: two A319-100s (6V-AMA and 6V-AMB) and two A321-200s (6V-AMC and 6V-AMD). Carlyle claims the airline defaulted on rental payments, failed to maintain the jets, and did not return them as required under lease terms, leading to a drawn-out legal battle.

In March 2025, the Commercial Court of Dakar issued a repossession order that Air Sénégal ignored, prompting the lessors to invoke the Cape Town Convention in June. ADS-B data shows one A319 and one A321 remain stored in Dakar, while the other two were ferried to Italy and France.

Carlyle also alleges Air Sénégal unlawfully operated some of the aircraft months after the leases were terminated in August 2024, with two continuing flights until mid-2025. At least one jet is reportedly no longer airworthy due to inadequate maintenance.

The Dakar Commercial Court has since lifted an order freezing Air Sénégal’s IATA Bank Settlement Plan funds, but the broader dispute remains unresolved. The airline has not responded to repeated requests for comment, leaving uncertainty over the future of the leased fleet.

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Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, ch-aviation.com