International Lease Finance has completed a series of leasing deals in January: JetBlue will lease an International Aero Engines V2500-powered A320 in February 2003. The New York based airline has also ordered 10 more A320s from Airbus for delivery between 2002 and 2005; Air Asia has taken delivery of the first of two Boeing 737-300s on seven year leases. The second aircraft will be delivered to the Malaysian carrier in February; Air France will take three Boeing 777-300ERs on six year leases in April and May 2004. The French carrier has also signed for two General Electric CF6-80-powered 747-400ERs for delivery in March and April 2003 on six year leases; Air India has added an ex-Kenya Airways A310-300 on three year lease; Air Jamaica is leasing two ex-Air Canada Airbus A340-300s on eight-year leases beginning in February and May; Air Macau will take delivery of two new A321-200s in December 2002 and February 2003 on seven year leases; Air Tahiti has leased an A340-300 for seven years. The aircraft was previously briefly operated by Canada 3000; Air Transat is leasing a new Rolls-Royce Trent 772-powered A330-200 in May on a nine year lease; BWIA West Indies Airways will lease two ex-Air Canada A340-300s in June and November on five-year leases. They will replace the airline's remaining Lockheed L-1011 TriStars on long haul routes. Antwerp-based VLM Airlines has announced plans to add a Raytheon Beech 1900 turboprop for operation on yet to be disclosed, low density routes. Virgin has sold its first ever Boeing 747, a 26 year old -200, to Nigerian airline Kabo Air. Amsterdam-based aircraft operating lessor IEM Airfinance (formerly International Equipment Management) has concluded a sale and lease back transaction for four Airbus A320s with TAM. Safair has purchased five Airbus A300B4 Freighters from DHL International in a sale/leaseback deal valued at more than €80 million.
Source: Flight International
