Delayed 737 MAX deliveries for Ryanair cuts into 737-800 conversion feedstock

• Charles Kauffman
• July 29, 2019
• Aircraft, All Posts, Carriers, Conversions, Features, News

Ryanair Holdings revised the number of 737 MAX aircraft it expects to be operating in its fleet by Summer 2020 from fifty-eight to just thirty, the company announced today concurrently with the release of its Q1 FY2020 earnings, ended 30 June. Along with MAX deliveries, the carrier had planned to gradually retire some of the […]

El Al ceases 747 freighter ops, looks to AirBridge and ASL for charters [VIDEO]

• Charles Kauffman
• July 3, 2019
• All Posts, Carriers, Features, Freighter Aircraft Transactions, Production Freighters, Video

On 30 June, an El Al-operated 747-400F (26563) landed at Ben Gurion Airport (TLV) on completion of a final commercial flight that originated in Liege, Belgium (LGG). El Al yesterday confirmed that it is retiring the freighter after nine years in service [FAT 005038]. Despite the retirement of the Israel-based carrier’s only freighter, El Al […]

ASL Aviation Holdings acquired by private equity firm, will rapid fleet growth continue?

• Charles Kauffman
• February 13, 2019
• All Posts, Carriers, News

Ireland-based ASL Aviation Holdings, no stranger to acquisitions, announced its intent to be purchased by private equity firm Star Capital Partnership LLP for an undisclosed amount. In recent years, the ASL Group, which owns or holds stakes in cargo and passenger airlines based in Europe, Africa, and Asia, has grown rapidly by gobbling up complementary […]

India: One up, one down, one waiting in the wings

• David Harris
• June 29, 2015
• Carriers, Strategy

  After finally winning a months-long battle with the government for permission to operate main-deck cargo service using an A330-200F ACMI-leased from Etihad, India’s Jet Airways made the following announcement: “The launch of dedicated freighter operations by Jet Airways has been deferred indefinitely due to commercial and operational reasons” Welcome to India, the most puzzling […]

ASL rebrands

• David Harris
• June 8, 2015
• Aircraft, Carriers, News, Strategy

Ireland-based ASL Aviation Group is rebranding its four Europe-based airlines under a new “ASL Airlines” name. Following its acquisition of the Farnair Group last year, ASL owns, controls, or has significant stakes in seven airlines: Air Contractors (Ireland), Europe Airpost (France), Farnair Switzerland, Farnair Hungary, QuikJet (India), K-Mile (Thailand), and Safair (South Africa). As part […]

ASL to acquire Farnair

• David Harris
• October 28, 2014
• Carriers, News, Strategy

Ireland-based ASL Aviation Group signed an agreement to acquire the Farnair Group of companies. ASL said it expected the transaction to close by the end of this year, but gave no financial details. ASL, a joint venture of Compagnie Maritime Belge (CMB, 51%) and 3P Air Freighters (an aircraft leasing subsidiary of private equity group […]

ASL to order LM-100J freighters

• David Harris
• August 29, 2014
• Aircraft, Carriers

Ireland-based ASL Aviation Group signed a Letter of Intent for up to ten Lockheed Martin LM-100J freighters. The LM-100J is the commercial version of Lockheed Martin’s proven C-130J Super Hercules, and is an updated version of the venerable L-100 (or L-382) cargo aircraft. ASL is a major shareholder in South Africa-based Safair, which currently operates […]