South African leasing company African Airlines Investments (AAI) has acquired five British Aerospace 146s from BAE Systems.
Three of the aircraft are 146-300 variants and were formerly operated by Lufthansa Group carriers Eurowings and Air Dolomiti. BAE Systems has identified these aircraft as bearing the serial numbers E3118, E3155 and E3187.
The remaining two aircraft are 146-200 variants, serial numbers E2069 and E2077, and were formerly operated by Eurowings.
AAI, which will take delivery of the aircraft by mid-July, plans to wet-lease the aircraft to carriers throughout sub-Saharan Africa. "Africa has huge potential for air traffic development and we believe we have a unique business model to help the industry expand," says AAI director Pieter Louw.
"In addition to our home market, we are spreading our wings across sub-Saharan Africa and its islands, and the market for both charter operations and turnkey operations is expanding."
AAI has its operational base at Johannesburg Lanseria Airport.
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news
