Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE) has delivered its first Airbus A350-900 aircraft to Vietnam Airlines.
It becomes the third aircraft leasing company to lease out the world’s newest commercial airliner.
DAE said on yesterday that it had delivered the new aircraft as part of a sale and leaseback deal covering a total of three A350-900s. The remaining two aircraft are scheduled to be delivered in the next three months.
The new aircraft, which typically seats 325 passengers and is a variant of Airbus’s A350 XWB, is designed to compete with the Boeing 787 and 777.
Its ultra-long range version with increased fuel capacity is helping airlines to offer flights of longer duration.
This includes Singapore Airlines’ plans to introduce a non-stop flight from Singapore to New York.
The deal will be the first sale and leaseback transaction for Vietnam Airlines.
This month DAE, which holds an aircraft leasing portfolio of 78 aircraft, said it would buy 80 per cent of the commercial aircraft maintenance firm Jordan Aircraft Maintenance from the Abraaj Group.
“The Airbus A350-900 is a high-in-demand aircraft providing Vietnam Airlines with greater capacity, longer range and outstanding operational efficiency to support its growing network,” said Firoz Tarapore, the chief executive of DAE.
lbarnard@thenational.ae
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