Spring 2021 has seen the input of independent expert evidence become increasingly critical to successful restructuring. May 2021 saw several significant court decisions from concerning CVAs and restructuring plans. Two cases – New Look and Regis – concerned CVAs and Virgin Active concerned a restructuring plan. All three judgments highlighted the need for early independent expert input in formulating the CVA or restructuring plans.
CVAs – New Look and Regis
Since Richard Branson’s Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd’s request for Government loan was denied (see the post by my colleague, Jess), the airline has announced plans for a private-only solvent recapitalisation to "rebuild its balance sheet" and "welcome passengers back".
As we discussed in our July newsletter, the Corporate Insolvency and Governance Act 2020 (CIGA 2020) has introduced a new Restructuring Plan, which is similar to existing Schemes of Arrangement. In essence a Court can sanction a restructuring plan which binds a dissenting class of creditors, if that class would be in no worse a position than the most likely alternative.
Virgin Atlantic announced yesterday its plans for a recapitalisation, worth approximately £1.2 billion over the next 18 months. Support has already been secured from the majority of stakeholders.
However, to secure approval from all relevant creditors before implementation, Virgin Atlantic plans to use the new 'restructuring plan' as introduced by the Corporate Insolvency and Governance Act 2020 (CIGA), which came into force late last month.
Background
On 4 September 2020, the High Court sanctioned a restructuring plan of Virgin Atlantic Airways Limited (Virgin) under the new Part 26A of the Companies Act 2006, brought in by the Corporate Insolvency and Governance Act 2020 (CIGA); this is the first time the court has sanctioned a restructuring plan under the new Part 26A.
We at 1CL admire and encourage commitment to a cause, but even we blanched this week when we read of the determination of a 20 year old Slovenian woman, Julija Adlesic, who cut off her own hand with a circular saw in order to claim a €1,000,000 insurance payout. We can only imagine how irritated she must have been when police retrieved the hand and doctors were able to reattach it. All too predictably, the story ended in tears, when she was sentenced to a two year custodial sentence for attempted insurance fraud.
Following the administration of Virgin Australia the lessors of four engines that were leased to Virgin served notice requiring delivery up of the engines to a nominated address in the USA. The administrators argued that their obligations to the lessors were met if they made the engines available for delivery up in Australia.
On 14 May 2015, Australia acceded to the Convention on International Interests in Mobile Equipment (“Cape Town Convention”) and the Protocol to the Cape Town Convention (“Cape Town Protocol”). In particular, for insolvency related proceedings, Australia adopted what is known as “Alternative A” in aviation industry speak. The Cape Town Convention became effective as Australian law on 1 September 2015 and applies to the relevant aviation leasing and financing transitions entered into after that date.