Dutch receivers in charge of settling claims against defunct regional-aircraft manufacturer Fokker have revealed a total of NFl 26 billion ($13.4 billion) in claims against the remaining assets of the company.
Reed Aerospace's on-line service Air Transport Intelligence has established that claims accepted to date amount to NFl 2.5 billion, of which NFl 1.8 billion has already been settled, while claims amounting to NFl 23.5 billion have been rejected. The largest of those settled is from Korean Air, at NFl 7.3 million, although it is not clear why its claim was successful while other airline claims have been rejected.
Under Dutch law, monies raised by the receivers will be paid to "preferential" creditors first, including pension funds and former employees. Daimler-Benz Aerospace, which owned a majority stake before Fokker went bankrupt in March 1996, remains the largest creditor in the second phase. It is claiming NFl 4.8 billion.
American Airlines and US Airways, which argue that their fleets have lost value since Fokker went bankrupt, had claims of NFl 460 million and NFl 320 million, respectively, rejected. Alitalia claimed entitlement to NFl 339 million as Fokker delivered only five of 15 Fokker 70s it had on order. The airline has since stopped operating the type.
Brazilian airline TAM has also mounted a claim, of NFl 230 million, against the crash of an Fokker 100 in October 1996 which killed 101 people. The receivers say that the claim has also been formally denied.
Source: Flight International
