Afghanistan’s Ariana Afghan Airlines is the market to buy six aircraft.
A tender document published on the airline’s website shows it is looking for two Airbus A330-200s, two Boeing 767-300ERs and two De Havilland Canada Q300s.
The closing date for bids is 26 February 2020.
The airline says in the tender document that it has “budget allocation” to purchase the aircraft, which will be used exclusively by Ariana Afghan Airlines.
Ariana Afghan Airlines wants the aircraft to be no older than 20 years, and the next C check should not be due before two years. Each engine must have at least 3,000 flight cycles remaining for the first life limited parts replacement, it adds.
The airline has four aircraft in service, Cirium fleets data shows. These are two 737-400s, one 737-500 and one A310 – all aged between 21 years old and 31 years old.
Lessor sources in Singapore have been telling Cirium this past week that lease rates for A330-200s are unattractive for lessors. This tender from Ariana Afghan may therefore provide an opportunity for a lessor to divest one or two low- or non-performing A330-200s from its portfolio, though many aviation finance industry participants acknowledge that Afghanistan is a difficult jurisdiction in which to do business.
