ILFC, Jazeera and ALAFCO in wave of Dubai orders
Flight International Online news 10:00GMT: A wave of orders has emerged from deals announced at the current Dubai Air Show. US lessor International Lease Finance (ILFC) confirmed its order for 20 Boeing 787 aircraft, ALAFCO (the Kuwaiti aircraft leasing company) firmed up an order for 12 Airbus A350-800s, and low-fare start-up Jazeera Airways increased its order for Airbus A320s to ten.
ILFC's agreement includes options for another four of the 787s. Deliveries will begin in January 2010, making ILFC the first leasing company to sign for the aircraft. Boeing values the agreement at about $2.7 billion at catalogue prices. ILFC has not given an engine preference for its 787s, nor identified any potential customers.
ALAFCO signed a firm contract for 12 A350-800s for delivery from the third quarter of 2012, Airbus says, making it the first aircraft leasing firm in the world to sign a firm order for the A350. ALFACO has options for six more. The statement makes no mention of an engine type, although at the Paris Air Show in June ALAFCO said it plans to acquire GE GEnx powerplants.
Lastly, Kuwaiti low-fare start-up carrier Jazeera Airways increased its order for Airbus A320s to ten, after signing a deal for a further six of the type, while originally ordering four at the close of 2004.
The additional six will be powered by CFM International CFM56 engines and be configured with 165 seats in an all-economy layout. Privately-owned Jazeera Airways, was established by Kuwait’s Boodai Group, and took delivery of its first A320 on 24 October and its second on 9 November.
With contributions from:
DAVID KAMINSKI-MORROW AND LEITHEN FRANCIS / LONDON
Source: Flight International
