€8.5bn deal for aircraft hire firm

A Dublin-headquartered aircraft leasing company has signed a deal worth more than €8.5bn.

SMBC Aviation Capital announced that it has placed an order for 115 Airbus aircraft in what constitutes the largest single-aisle aircraft order ever placed by a lessor.

The deal struck by the world’s third-largest aircraft lessor includes the order of 110 A320neo aircraft and five A320ceo, and the option to convert the majority of the aircraft to bigger models if desired.