Aircraft finance held hostage by just one man as ExIm bank stays closed

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The row over the US ExIm bank now seems even more ludicrous, according to ATW. Apparently the bank remains shut owing to the viewpoints (and actions) of just one man – quite a feat in a so-called democracy. Congress has voted to re-authorise it, but Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell is allowing a technicality to leave the bank closed. Delta remains firmly opposed to the reopening of ExIm bank, claiming it simply boosts the coffers of the competition (although Delta could of course benefit from the same scheme from the European export agency, and buy more Airbus aircraft). But airlines elsewhere in the world are threatening to switch orders to Airbus if the export finance deals – often known as ‘finance of the last resort’ – do not reappear.