Originally Posted by
SWBKCB
Yes - would imagine there are deals to be struck for companies with good financial support.
I think you’ve hit the nail on the head. The plan for extra ATRs at Southampton with nothing to keep the aircraft busy between morning and evening is an interesting move for both aircraft and crew utilisation.
Lessors will be desperate to place aircraft but only with airlines with strong credit ratings. The only thing worse than an aircraft not on lease is an aircraft impounded with the lessor having to pay big airport and Eurocontrol bills to reclaim their asset. With the Flybe experience having scarred many, credit-worthiness of airline lessees will be critical.
I’d heard the Saab 2000 leases ended in acrimony after a big fall-out with the lessor. The lessor has no new customer for the aircraft but apparently did not want to leave them with Eastern anyway. It’ll be interesting to see if ATR lessors feel differently.