French carrier completes multi-year narrow-body modernization program with fuel-efficient aircraft powered by Pratt & Whitney engines.
Air France has taken delivery of its 15th and final Airbus A220-300 from ABL Aviation, completing a sale-and-leaseback agreement signed in 2022.
ABL Aviation announced Monday that the 15-aircraft mandate between the two companies had been completed. The aircraft leasing and investment management firm delivered the final jet to Air France on Nov. 7 after it flew from MontrΓ©al-Mirabel Airport in Canada.
The aircraft was part of an order Air France initially placed in 2019.
The A220-300 has already entered service on European routes, operating flights between cities including Paris, Amsterdam, Marseille, Toulouse and Vienna, according to flight tracking data.
“This final delivery is a proud milestone for ABL Aviation,” said Ali Ben Lmadani, founder and CEO of ABL Aviation. “From the first aircraft to the fifteenth, our partnership with Air France has shown what can be achieved through alignment, discipline, and shared vision. We are grateful for Air France’s continued trust and proud to have supported their fleet modernization strategy with one of the world’s most efficient narrow-body aircraft.”
The aircraft is powered by two Pratt & Whitney PW1521G-3 engines and represents part of Air France’s ongoing fleet renewal strategy.
ABL Aviation has worked with Air France and its investors since the mandate’s inception to structure and deliver the 15 A220-300 aircraft, each supported by tailored financing and execution standards, a spokesperson for the leasing firm said.
The transaction highlights ABL Aviation’s capability to manage complex, multi-year mandates and marks the company’s growing leadership in the global aircraft leasing and asset management sector, the spokesperson added.
Key Takeaways
- Air France completed delivery of 15 Airbus A220-300 aircraft from ABL Aviation under a 2022 sale-and-leaseback agreement, fulfilling an order initially placed in 2019.
- The final aircraft was delivered on Nov. 7 after departing from MontrΓ©al-Mirabel Airport and has already entered service on European routes.
- The A220-300s are powered by Pratt & Whitney PW1521G-3 engines and represent one of the world’s most efficient narrow-body aircraft.
- The multi-year partnership demonstrates ABL Aviation’s capabilities in managing complex aircraft financing mandates in the global leasing market.
