Qantas Airways has reached a deal to sell most of its Boeing 737-800 fleet, which is due to be phased out as new Airbus narrowbodies are delivered.
British aftermarket specialist AerFin has agreed to buy 44 737NGs and their 88 CFM56-7B engines from the carrier. The aircraft will be transferred to AerFin over the next seven years, with the first due to arrive this year.
Qantas ordered 28 Airbus A321XLRs in 2022 as the intended replacements for its 737NG domestic fleet, and subsequently ordered another 20. It currently operates 79 737-800s, according to the Aviation Week Fleet Discovery database.
The carrier has so far taken delivery of seven A321XLRs, with another 41 remaining on order. The group’s LCC subsidiary, Jetstar, also has 12 A321XLRs on order, which are due to begin arriving in 2027.
“This agreement allows us to plan for the retirement of the majority of our 737 fleet while also providing flexibility to adjust the timing as new aircraft arrive,” Qantas Domestic CEO Markus Svensson said.
AerFin describes itself as an aviation asset specialist that buys, sells, leases and repairs aircraft, engines and parts. Its capabilities comprise parts inventory support, component sales and leasing, repair management and engine MRO. The company said the Qantas deal is the largest in its history.
“This is a landmark transaction for AerFin and a defining moment in our growth journey,” AerFin CEO Simon Goodson said.
“The Asia-Pacific market continues to present significant opportunities for the aviation aftermarket, and this transaction further strengthens AerFin’s position in the region,” said James Bennett, AerFin’s chief commercial officer.
AerFin recently changed hands, becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of Japanese-backed lessor ORIX Aviation on Nov. 2.
Related Content
