CDB Aviation, a wholly owned Irish subsidiary of China Development Bank Financial Leasing (CDB Leasing), has signed new lease agreements for a fleet of seven additional narrow-body and wide-body aircraft with its existing customer, Turkish Airlines (Turkish), the flag carrier of Türkiye.
Under the new agreements, one used Airbus A330-343 will be delivered in May 2024 to support the expansion of Turkish’ mainline international operations, while another six Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft will be received between 2025 and 2026 by the carrier’s newly established subsidiary, Ajet. The CFM International Leap-1B engine-powered MAX aircraft will be delivered from the lessor’s existing orderbook with Boeing, bringing the total number of CDB Aviation’s MAXs on lease to Turkish to 12.
Commenting on the deal, CDB Aviation Chief Executive Officer, Jie Chen, remarked, “We are delighted to continue building upon a strong and long-term partnership with our valued customer, Turkish Airlines. The 737 MAX 8 aircraft will contribute toward the airline’s stated goal for Ajet to become an important part of the low-cost aviation industry on a global scale, while the A330 will provide the increased capacity to support its ever-expanding global network.”
With the addition of the aircraft, CDB Aviation will now have seventeen aircraft on lease to the carrier, including 12 737 MAX 8s, one 737-800, one 777-300ER, one A321neo, one A320neo and one A330-343.