American Trans Air (ATA) has confirmed its deal for 37 Boeing 737-800s and 10 Rolls-Royce RB211-powered 757-300s (Flight International, 2-8 May). ATA, which has purchase rights for an additional 50 aircraft, has specified the winglet-equipped 737-800. Twelve of the 737s will be leased from International Lease Finance (ILFC), beginning in May 2001, and five from GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS). The other twenty 737s will come through Boeing. Deliveries of the 47 aircraft will be concluded by early 2003. Meridiana is expanding its fleet for its peak summer season with the wet-lease of two Fokker 100s from Alpi Eagles. The airline is also leasing two ATR 42s and one Boeing 737. India's Blue Dart Aviation has taken delivery of a Boeing 737-200 from Sahara India Airlines, which has been ferried to the USA for freighter conversion. The Chennai-based express freight carrier will use the aircraft to boost its frequencies from September on services between Chennai, Bangalore, Mumbai, New Delhi and Calcutta. Flight International's sister online service Air Transport Intelligence reports that Uzbekistan Airways has concluded a deal with Tashkent Aircraft Production Organisation to acquire three Pratt & Whitney Canada PW127-powered Il-114-100s this year, as part of a deal for 10 aircraft. GECAS has placed two ex-Laker Airways McDonnnell Douglas DC-10-30Fs with Emery Worldwide, for delivery in the third quarter. Aeromexico will take a new Pratt & Whitney PW2037-powered Boeing 757-200 on a three-year lease from ILFC next March. Egyptian carrier Scorpio Aviation will take delivery of two ATR 42s on lease over the next six weeks from Ethiopian Airlines, in a deal arranged by Fortis Prop Jet. Channel Express has sold its BAE Systems Aviation Services converted Airbus A300B4-100 freighter to TNT Express Worldwide.
Source: Flight International
