Air Lease Corporation has announced the delivery of the first of ten new Boeing 737-8s to Romanian carrier Blue Air. The aircraft features CFM LEAP-1B engines and the remaining nine aircraft will be delivered from April 2021 through 2022.
On Tuesday (March 30, 2021), Air Lease Corporation (ALC) announced the delivery of the first of ten new Boeing 737-8s to Blue Air of Romania on long-term lease. The delivery is from ALC’s existing order book with Boeing and the additional nine aircraft will be delivered from April 2021 through 2022. Blue Air’s new 737-8 MAX is powered by CFM LEAP-1B25 engines. In addition to the newly delivered aircraft, Blue Air currently has six Boeing 737-800s and one Boeing 737-700 on long-term lease with ALC.
In Tuesday’s announcement, Air Lease Corporation’s Executive Chairman, Steven F, Udvar-Házy, said,
“ALC is pleased to deliver this first of ten new 737-8 aircraft to Blue Air, Romania’s largest airline, today. Once all of the ALC 737-8s are delivered, Blue Air will have the largest fleet of new 737-8s in Eastern Europe. The 737-8 will provide the most modern, fuel-efficient technology to advance the airline’s overall growth and route expansion objectives.”
Also commenting on the new aircraft delivery, Blue Air’s Majority Shareholder, Cristian Rada, added,
“Today marks a new milestone in Blue Air’s journey. The delivery of this first of ten Boeing 737-8s comes in line with our airline’s commitment to provide European customers ‘The Better Way to Fly.’ As we increasingly acknowledge the responsibility of the airline industry for a greener future, Blue Air joins the airline community as an active player in delivering the lowest carbon emissions known to date by a narrow body passenger aircraft. The accelerated replacement of our classic fleet is ensured by the long-lasting strategic partnership with Air Lease Corporation as Blue Air’s main lessor. A special acknowledgment and thanks go to the ALC team that made this delivery possible amid these challenging COVID times. This and the next projected deliveries will ensure Blue Air’s resilience and will secure our company position as the main Romanian player in the passenger aviation market.”
Founded in Bucharest in 2004, Blue Air is Romania’s leading airline. The carrier operates from bases in Romania and Italy, and since 2016, has been the largest Romanian airline by scheduled passengers flown, operating flights to over 100 destinations in 16 countries. The airline’s ‘The Better Way to Fly’ model is dedicated to superior and affordable guest experience and a wide and reliable network.
Based in Los Angeles, California, Air Lease Corporation (NYSE: AL) is a leading global aircraft leasing company. The ALC team is principally involved in the purchase of commercial aircraft and leasing them to airlines worldwide with customized leasing and financing solutions.
Source(s): Air Lease Corporation, Blue Air