CDB Announce A320NEO’s Lease to Aer Lingus
CDB Aviation has announced it has agreed to lease two Airbus A320neo aircraft to Aer Lingus, for delivery in the coming weeks. The transaction marks the introduction of the first A320neo variant in the airline’s growing fleet. The two aircraft will be fitted with 186 seats in an all-economy layout, twelve more than the standard Aer Lingus fleet will be delivered to Aer Lingus in July 2022 and will become part of the backbone of its short-haul fleet, operating on routes between Ireland and European destinations. These two aircraft were built earlier this year and initially painted in the colours of Russian airline SmartAvia but due to the sanctions imposed following the invasion of Ukraine, these aircraft were never delivered. They will be registered EI-NSA (c/n 10712) and EI-NSB (c/n 10786) when they are delivered in July. The first aircraft was recently rolled out of the paint hangar at Ostrava. These two aircraft will replace two A320ceo’s that will leave the fleet this year. Aer Lingus is expected to take delivery of two further A320neo’s in 2023 and will also take delivery of six Airbus A321neo XLR aircraft which are a longer range variant of the A321neo LR that will enable Aer Lingus to further grow the transatlantic network. The delivery date for the additional A321’s has not yet been confirmed.
Commenting on the acquisition of two new aircraft for Aer Lingus’ short-haul fleet, the CEO of Aer Lingus, Lynne Embleton said, “This is a great opportunity to bring new, state-of-the-art aircraft into our short-haul fleet. Renewing our fleet is one of the key ways for Aer Lingus to meet our sustainability targets, which is a priority for us over the coming years. The new generation Airbus A320neo aircraft is much more sustainable in terms of fuel burn and CO2 emissions, and this is not only important to Aer Lingus but also to our customers. Equally, the more environmentally friendly aircraft incur lower landing charges in some key airports, so these new A320neos will help us to reduce costs.”
Also commenting was CDB Aviation’s Chief Executive Officer, Patrick Hannigan who added, “Our teams worked hand in hand to expediently execute this transaction as an important element of the Irish flag carrier’s recovery plan from the impact of the pandemic on air travel. The A320neo’s operating advantages will also further strengthen Aer Lingus’ leading position among European airlines in enhancing connectivity with a focus on improving efficiency and reducing aviation’s environmental footprint.”
in recent weeks, CDB Aviation has announced the appointment of Brian Dowling as Chief Technical Officer. With a long-standing career spanning over four decades in the aircraft leasing and Airline Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul industries, Dowling is a highly regarded technical expert, who has handled a broad range of complex transactions, including aircraft transitions, as well as has led LOI and lease execution and has overseen relationships with global OEM and MRO organizations. Brian joined the company in 2017 as Head of Transitions and Transactions. While overseeing technical support to the airline marketing and aircraft trading functions, he also led technical operations in regional offices in Ireland, Asia Pacific, and the Americas. Prior to CDB Aviation, he was Senior Vice President, Technical & Asset Management, at SMBC Aviation Capital. Previously, he was Hangar Line Manager & Senior Quality Assurance Manager with Lufthansa Technic Shannon, Aer Lingus, Dan Air, and Nigeria Airways. He started his career as an Avionic Licensed Engineer at Gatwick and Dublin Airports. Brian is an FAA and EASA certified engineer. He earned his M.Sc. in Air Transportation Management from City University, London. He was a lecturer in CIT’s Aircraft Acquisition and Finance course and is currently teaching in the Master’s in Aviation program at Cranfield University.
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