The Singapore Airshow opened to a limited crowd of trade visitors on Tuesday (February 15)
some participants voicing concern over the Ukraine crisis.
Organizers expect the biennial event to attract more than 13,000 trade attendees, less than half of the 30,000 who attended in 2020.
Visitors got the chance to witness a number of flyby aerial displays, including from the Indonesian Air Force's Jupiter Team.
Meanwhile, the head of the world's second-largest aircraft leasing company said it is preparing to tackle possible disruptions to business with Russia.
Avolon is concerned about whether sanctions against Russia would affect international payment transfers, chief executive Domhnal Slattery told Reuters on the sidelines of the airshow.
"If sanctions are slapped on Russia as a consequence - if in the event - my biggest concern is sanctions around SWIFT, it is an international payment transfers (system) so we are focused on ensuring how do we get around that from the payment of our rentals' perspective. Obviously, my, Ireland is a neutral country, I'm a pacifist by nature, we hope this doesn't come to bear, the headlines this morning suggest there still is a window for diplomacy but it doesn't feel good to me."
He added that Avolon is focused on ensuring that airlines flying over the region are fully insured from a risk-management perspective.
U.S. officials have warned that Moscow could launch an attack on Ukraine after massing troops close to its neighbor's border, with the West preparing heavy sanctions. Russia denies it is planning an invasion.