What's a four-year-old Airbus worth?
That depends on whether you want it to fly or not.
An A320neo left the factory in July 2022, painted yellow for Spirit Airlines and it was meant to last for decades.
In May 2026, it was stripped for parts and crushed.
Grounded by an engine recall, it had been sitting in storage, costing money every month.
In pieces, it was worth buying. EirTrade paid single-digit millions for it and a similar jet and expects to profit from the 1,000+ parts.
Flying, with every part working together, it would have been worth far more than either.
The aviation trade makes its money taking things apart.
Company group builders make theirs doing the reverse. Bring two or three complementary businesses together and the combined profit attracts a higher multiple than any of them could alone.
Is your business being valued as a grounded plane, a box of parts or part of a fleet?
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