Regional start-up Shuttle America plans to grow its 50-seat Bombardier Dash 8-300 fleet from three aircraft to six by the end of the year. The airline, which operates three secondhand aircraft leased from the manufacturer, holds lease options for 18 more Dash 8-300s. Atlas Air has signed a long-term lease agreement with Air France for a Boeing 747 freighter to provide additional peak season capacity. Continental Airlines has signed a 12-year lease deal with International Lease Finance (ILFC) for two Boeing 777-200ERs. The General Electric GE90-powered aircraft will be delivered in March and April 2000. Air Kazakhstan has added an ex-Swissair, Pratt & Whitney JT9D-powered Airbus A310-300 on lease. Cayman Airways is poised to introduce a third Boeing 737-200 acquired from a Middle East source. The passenger/cargo convertible aircraft will be used primarily as a freighter, but will be switched to a passenger or combi role as traffic demands. Emirates has ordered one additional Rolls-Royce Trent-powered A330-200 for delivery in the last quarter of 2000. The deal brings the airline's firm orders to 18, of which two have been delivered. US low-fare start-up Tahoe Air has wet-leased a Boeing 737-200 from Casino Express for services from Lake Tahoe to Los Angeles and San Jose. ILFC has placed an ex-Transaero GE-powered Boeing 767-300ER with Argentinian airline LAPA. Safair has purchased a Boeing 727-200Adv from Qatar Airways in a deal arranged by Aircraft Leasing & Management. Northwest has acquired two ex-Varig McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30s (Flight International, 16-22 June). One aircraft has been delivered and the second will arrive in August. El Al is seeking buyers for two of its nine Rolls-Royce-powered Boeing 757s, and has appointed Fortis to re-market the aircraft. One 757 is available immediately, with the second following in October.
Source: Flight International
