Avolon has announced firm orders for 250 aircraft from Boeing and Airbus, a deal that still requires approval from shareholders of Bohai Leasing, which owns 70% of the Dublin-based lessor. If approved, which Avolon expects before the end of October 2026, its total firm aircraft commitments would rise to 749 jets.

Avolon is headquartered in Dublin, was founded in 2010, and is owned 70% by Bohai Leasing, listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange (SZSE: 000415), and 30% by ORIX Corporation. At 30 September 2026 it had an owned, managed and committed fleet of 1,092 aircraft serving 138 airlines in 62 countries, and for 2025 it reported net income of 591 million dollars (506 million euros) and total assets of 34 billion dollars (29.1 billion euros).

The order comprises 140 Boeing 737 MAX jets and 110 Airbus aircraft, made up of 75 A320neo family jets and 35 A330neos, with options for an additional 100 aircraft.

Aircraft lessors have emerged as a major force in manufacturer order books as airlines increasingly turn to leasing arrangements to upgrade their fleets rather than committing capital to direct purchases.

“We continue to see strong demand for new-technology aircraft, reflected in our placement and trading activity this quarter,” said Andy Cronin, chief executive of Avolon. “These orders further enhance our ability to support the future fleet requirements of our airline customers as they renew and expand their fleets into the most fuel-efficient technology available.”

Avolon also issued a third-quarter update, reporting that it acquired 10 aircraft and sold 29, with a further 112 agreed for sale at quarter-end. It placed 28 new-technology aircraft from existing commitments, ended the quarter with 89% of its committed fleet placed for the next 24 months, and executed 84 lease agreements, extensions and amendments.

On funding, Avolon closed an 855 million dollar (732 million euro) unsecured term loan with a syndicate of primarily Asian banks and established a 1.5 billion dollar (1.28 billion euro) commercial paper programme.

Both manufacturers entered this order cycle with substantial backlogs. Boeing delivered 314 commercial aircraft in the first half of 2026, its most for any first half since 2018, while Airbus delivered 351 and held a backlog of 9,222 aircraft at the end of June.

For the sector, the order underlines how lessors are shaping demand for new-technology narrowbody and widebody aircraft as airlines renew fleets through leasing.

Source: Yahoo Finance / Avolon / Bloomberg / Quartz