Expanding into U.S. Market and Strengthening Global Presence
Hong Kong – 29 December 2016 - China Aircraft Leasing Group Holdings Limited (“CALC” or the “Group”, SEHK stock code: 01848), the largest independent operating aircraft lessor in China, is pleased to announce that it has signed a lease agreement with Hawaiian Airlines for a long term lease of an Airbus A321neo aircraft. The aircraft is expected to be delivered in 2018.
Hawaiian Airlines is CALC’s first customer in the Americas, marking another milestone for the Group’s global expansion. Since CALC began to tap into overseas markets in 2014, it has acquired airline clients in Asia Pacific, Europe and now the Americas.
Ms. Winnie Liu, Deputy CEO and Chief Commercial Officer of CALC commented, “We are very excited to establish a business partnership with Hawaiian Airlines, our first US client. Not only does it mark CALC’s foray into the world’s largest aviation market, it also highlights international markets’ recognition of the standards of our professional services and demand for our tailored aircraft solutions. We are proud to have developed CALC into an important global player and will continue to combine our expertise and experience of providing full life cycle aircraft solutions to carriers around the world to meet their needs and help their businesses thrive. By 2020, we target to build a balanced customer portfolio of domestic and overseas airline clients.”
The A321neo for Hawaiian Airlines will be the first of 74 new technology A320neo Airbus family aircraft which CALC has on order until 2022. With the latest generation A321neo, CALC is able to meet its customer’s requirements in terms of low fuel burn, high reliability and unbeatable comfort. The lease arrangement with Hawaiian Airlines of the long-range, single-aisle A321neo is part of the airline’s fleet optimization plan to support the sustainable growth of its main market between Hawaii and mainland USA.
Hawaiian Airlines is Hawaii’s largest and longest-serving airline with 88 years of operation, as well as the largest provider of passenger air service from its primary visitor markets on the U.S. Mainland. Hawaiian offers a non-stop service to Hawaii from 11 U.S. gateway cities, along with a service from Japan, South Korea, China, Australia, New Zealand, American Samoa and Tahiti. Hawaiian also provides approximately 160 jet flights daily between the Hawaiian Islands, with a total of more than 200 daily flights system-wide.