Northwest Airlines has agreed to firm up 30 Airbus A320 family options, including 18 A319s and 12 A320s, for delivery between January 2002 and 2004. The deal for the CFM International CFM56-powered aircraft takes the airline's A320 family orders to 150 aircraft, of which 70 have been delivered. Air Transat has leased a Rolls-Royce Trent 700-powered Airbus A330-300 from International Lease Finance (ILFC), for delivery in October. British Airways has sold and leased back a new R-R RB211-powered Boeing 757-200 to CIT Group. Indigo Aviation has bought its first aircraft directly from the manufacturer - a new Pratt & Whitney PW2000-powered Boeing 757-200 that has been placed on an 18-year operating lease with TWA. Indigo has also bought two Boeing 737-400s from Braathens, which are leased to Virgin Express until 2004. SAS Commuter has added two Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 firm orders, bringing its total to 19. Horizon has increased its Bombardier Canadair Regional Jet 700 options from 15 to 25. AvAero has announced further sales of its Boeing 737-200 Stage 3 hushkit: to Pegasus Aviation (two firm, for Access Air, and six option); Bahamasair (two); Cayman Airways (two); Southwest Airlines (two); WestJet Airlines (two); First Air (one); International Air Leases (one); and two executive aircraft owners. Garuda has won approval for $280 million-worth of financing from the US Ex-Im Bank for 11 Boeing 737-300/500s that the carrier had been leasing for $346 million. The asset-based finance leases involve the Indonesian finance ministry, which serves as lessee and subleasing the aircraft to Garuda to address any credit risk. Emirates has signed a deal with ILFC to take a Boeing 777-300 on lease next September. British World Airlines has leased two more British Aerospace ATPs from the manufacturer. The ex-British Airways aircraft will be delivered in October.
Source: Flight International
