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Asian budget carrier interested in ex-Singapore Airlines A380s
July 14th 2017
The aircraft leasing unit of Dr. Peters Group, DS Aviation, is vetting applicants who have expressed an interest in taking over the four A380s Singapore Airlines (SIA) no longer wants. Read More »
In an interview with Bloomberg, Dr. Peters Group CEO, Anselm Gehling, said an Asian low-cost carrier was among six interested parties in the four aircraft that will be returned to the owner between October 2017 and June 2018. The Asian low-cost carrier wanted to reconfigure the aircraft with a high-density 700-seat single-class layout, Gehling said. He added the firm had received queries from carriers in Europe and the U.S.
In Europe, only British Airways – an A380 operator – has said it would be interested in acquiring second-hand A380s. Air France and Lufthansa have cancelled outstanding A380 orders because they were too large and costly for their requirements.
Gehling said prospective lessees remain cautious and had requested two to four year lease terms, rather than the standard five-year minimum, so they could assess the A380 and its profitability.
Dr. Peters Group said parting out the A380s was an option. The lessor believed it could fetch more than US$100 million per aircraft from selling spare parts, particularly from the sale of the four Rolls-Royce Trent 900s.
