-US cargo carrier Atlas Air has signed a long term contract to operate Boeing 747-200 freighter services for Alitalia, with an ex-Philippine Airlines 747-200F being converted by Boeing.
-Stansted, UK based AB Airlines has leased two ex-Jet Airways Boeing 737-300s from Ansett Worldwide Aviation Services (AWAS).
-Air Malta has concluded a deal to take two new Boeing 737-300s from AWAS as well as its first two -400s on seven month lease from Malaysia Airlines, with three year extension options.
-AWAS has concluded long term extensions of several existing Boeing 737-300 leases to operators including Varig, Virgin Express, Trans-Brazil (2), Ansett Australia and British Midland, along with a 757-200 to Air 2000, and two Airbus A300-600Rs to China Northern.
-New Italian carrier Volare, based in Verona, has begun operations with two ex-Air France Airbus A320s, leased from GATX. A third aircraft is due in November and a fourth in April 1999.
-Braathens has received the first of three 134-seat Boeing 737-700s it is acquiring on lease from International Lease Finance. The airline will also take six 737-700s ordered directly from Boeing.
-GE Capital Aviation Services has ordered one more Airbus A319, six A320s and three A321s, all powered by CFM International CFM56 engines.
-Midway Airlines has converted options on three Canadair Regional Jet 200ERs, worth $63 million, for delivery in the first half of 1999, boosting its total CRJ orders to 13.
-US lessor AeroCentury has agreed to provide the financial resources to assist Embraer in the lease and sale of EMB-120 Brasilias which the manufacturer will take back as it delivers new ERJ-145s.
-Australian remarketing agent Transasian Air has acquired an Airbus A300B4 from Malaysia Airlines, and placed it with Finova: it will be converted to cargo configuration by Daimler-Benz Aerospace Airbus.
Source: Flight International
