Airbus announced on Monday a massive order for commercial jets closed with Air Lease Corporation. The agreement provides for the delivery of 110 aircraft and brings for the first time an order for the A350F, a freighter variant of the widebody.
Air Lease became the launch customer for the plane, which will be able to carry 109 tonnes of cargo in its fuselage slightly smaller than the A350-1000.
The lessor will receive seven A350Fs, in addition to 25 A220-300s, 55 A321neos, 20 A321XLRs and four A330neos.
”ALC was the launch customer for the very popular A321LR and XLR versions. Now, we become the launch lessor for the A350F and by the largest lessor customer for the A220,” said Steven F Udvar-Hazy, Executive Chairman of the company.
The first A350F will be delivered starting in 2026, according to ALC. The aircraft, which will have a maximum takeoff weight of 319 tonnes, is so far the only new generation capable of meeting ICAO’s 2027 CO2 emissions standards.
There was the expectation that Boeing would launch the 777XF, freighter variant of the new “triple seven”, but even with the presence of one of the prototypes of the jetliner, the manufacturer continued to postpone a possible announcement.
With the new order, Air Lease, reaches 496 Airbus aircraft ordered since 2010, when it was founded in Los Angeles.
