AirFinance Global
Ranked as the top global aviation firm for operating leasing by AirFinance Global in 2024
AirFinance Global
Ranked as a top 10 global aviation firm by AirFinance Global
Named winner of seven categories
at China Business Law Journal's 2024 China Business Law Awards
Leasing and delivery of aircraft and engine assets
We completed over 100 aircraft and engine assets in 2025 alone
We help leasing companies and airlines to successfully execute the sale, purchase and leasing of new and used aircraft assets.
We are also known for our portfolio trading work and ongoing asset management support.
With supply chain challenges and the need for airlines to optimise cash flows, the sale and leaseback structure has become an especially prominent financing tool in recent years. Our global team is a recognised market-leader in this area, having successfully managed the delivery and operating leasing of over 100 aircraft assets for leasing companies and airlines in 2025 alone.
We are also renowned for our aircraft trading work. We regularly lead high-value mandates involving the transfer of multiple on-lease assets across international jurisdictions. In the last 12 months, we have already supported clients through several major portfolio transactions, including the sale of a group of 17 aircraft assets on lease to 14 different airline customers. With a strong network of tried and trusted specialist law firms worldwide, we are also able to ensure that our clients have seamless access to top-tier legal support wherever trading opportunities arise.
We provide expert guidance to borrowers and lenders on aircraft-backed financings too. Our experience spans a wide range of financing structures, including finance leasing, tax leasing (including JOLCOs and French tax leases), export credit supported financing, and pre-delivery payment financing. In partnership with our aviation disputes colleagues, we also help lenders to recover financed assets and to maximise security proceeds in distressed situations.
Our clients particularly value our commercially driven, collaborative approach to deal-making. With a team of seasoned industry veterans who blend specialist legal knowledge with practical business insight, we offer a premium legal service focused on helping our clients to achieve their commercial objectives.
Our Services
- Advised a global financial institution as debt arranger and lender on the Japanese Operating Lease with Call Option (JOLCO) financing for 3 new Boeing 737 8 MAX aircraft leased to a European carrier.
- Advised on the pre-delivery payment financing, purchase and leasing of 4 Airbus A320neo aircraft with a Latin American operator. The operator moved into insolvency proceedings immediately prior to ex-factory delivery of the aircraft and we worked closely with our leasing company client and Airbus to enforce security under the financing, exercise step-in rights and take delivery of the aircraft for onward leasing to a third-party operator.
- Advised a leading operator lessor on the commercial financing debt financing of the acquisition of various Airbus A350 aircraft operated by Singapore Airlines.
- Advised Cebu on its first sustainability-linked Japanese Operating Lease with Call Option (JOLCO) financing for a new Airbus A321neo aircraft.
- Advised on the sale and leaseback of 60 CFM LEAP spare engines. This project was of significant strategic importance to the contracting parties and written on bespoke terms to align to the broader commercial relationship.
- Advised on the sale and leaseback of 20 Airbus A320neo family aircraft. The transaction involved different purchaser equity fund and financing structures.
- Advised a leading operating lessor on the sale and leaseback of 3 Airbus A320neo aircraft with pre-delivery payment financing options.
- Advised on the lease novation and transfer of 13 aircraft engine leases. The deal included an innovative financing structure.
- Advised on the leasing of 3 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft into different Scandinavian operators. The aircraft were part of a distressed portfolio purchase, so particular focus was given to the delivery and return conditions under the leases.
- Advised on the leasing of 6 white-tail Boeing 737 MAX aircraft into a leading Asian flag carrier. This transaction was the operator's first investment in the Boeing 737 Max and was negotiated on an expedited timeframe.
- Advised on the acquisition of 23 A330 aircraft from a GCC airline. We also advised on the subsequent passenger-to-freighter conversion and onward leasing of a number of these aircraft.
- Advised on the sale of 8 Boeing and Airbus aircraft. The aircraft were sold on a naked metal basis, but several were coming off-lease and so required careful transaction management and third-party negotiations.
- Advised a leading international operating lessor on the acquisition and disposal of more than 120 new and used aircraft, including one portfolio comprising 37 aircraft.
- Advised on the portfolio sale of 17 Boeing and Airbus aircraft on lease to 14 airlines. This transaction involved significant project management and a deep understanding of cross-border legal and administrative considerations to close.
- Advised MONTE Global Asset Management on the acquisition of a 14 airraft portfolio, via the formation of a JV fund with certain private equity investors. We covered all fund formation, fund deployment, debt financing and aircraft leasing aspects of this project.
- Advised on the sale of 6 on-lease Boeing and Airbus aircraft involving 3 airline counterparties.
- Advised a leasing company on the terms of an Airbus aircraft purchase agreement involving tens of wide-body aircraft.
- Advised on the purchase, passenger-to-freighter conversion and subsequent leasing of 10 Airbus A330 aircraft to a prominent American operator. This remains one of the biggest, and most complex. passenger-to-freighter deals done in the market to-date.
Awards and Recognition
Latest News & Insights
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