Varig Jetliner Seized in New York for Non-Payment

A Boeing 777 airliner from Varig, Brazil´s downtrodden carrier, was seized last week during service at JFK Airport in New York due to non-payment.

The information was confirmed by a Varig spokesman on Thursday.

The plane had been out of action for 43 days, awaiting maintenance, and therefore won´t immediately be missed.

“Varig had not been officially notified of the repossession. Representatives of the leasing firm seized the plane on Wednesday after presenting themselves to authorities as the owner of the aircraft,” said a Varig spokesman.

Varig has been in trouble for several years amid mounting debts that total about 8 billion Brazilian reales. The company sought bankruptcy protection in July 2005.