Paris Airshow: Avilease orders new build A350F and A320s

Fast-growing Saudi Arabian aircraft lessor Avilease became a new Airbus customer at the Paris Air Show today, ordering 10 firm A350F freighters and 30 A320neo family aircraft.

Avilease CEO Ted O’Byrne (left) signs up for the Airbus A350F alongside the OEM’s head of sales Benoît de Saint-Exupéry (photo: Mark Pilling).

The deal includes 12 A350F options and a further 25 A320neo options. The delivery of both models begins in 2030 and continues through 2033.

Citing a “very hard fought” battle between the A350F and Boeing’s 777X Freighter for its order, Edward O’Byrne, CEO of AviLease, said the payload-range combination of the A350F offered the most favourable package for its likely customer base over the larger Boeing freighter.

Avilease, which is wholly owned by the kingdom’s Public Investment Fund, has grown to a managed fleet of almost 200 aircraft in just three years of operation as it strives to execute on its mission to become a top 10 global aircraft lessor by 2030, explained O’Byrne.

Being a top 10 lessor “basically means around a $20 billion balance sheet by the end of the decade,” he told reporters.

“We are about two years ahead of schedule mostly thanks to the acquisition of Standard Chartered (SC),” he added.

Avilease concluded the deal to buy the SC aircraft leasing business in November 2023 which accelerated its fleet growth. “Scale equals value in our business,” said O’Byrne.

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