Dublin-based aviation finance company Avolon has secured its long-term delivery pipeline with a massive dual-manufacturer order for 250 new-technology aircraft from Boeing and Airbus, pushing its pro forma fleet past 1,300 jets.

Announced on October 9, 2026, alongside the lessor’s third-quarter business update, the commitment includes 140 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft and 110 Airbus jets, with options for an additional 100 Airbus airframes. The deal capitalizes on strong airline demand for fuel-efficient capacity amid ongoing supply chain constraints at the major original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).

Fleet expansion and manufacturer split

The 250-aircraft commitment is split across both major manufacturers, heavily favoring narrowbody platforms while also reinforcing Avolon’s widebody portfolio. The Boeing portion of the order consists entirely of 140 737 MAX aircraft. On the Airbus side, Avolon committed to 75 A320neo family aircraft and 35 A330neo family aircraft, specifically the A330-900 variant. The agreement also includes options for 100 further unspecified Airbus aircraft.

With this transaction, Avolon increases its total firm aircraft commitments to 749. When combined with its owned and managed fleet, the lessor’s pro forma fleet size now stands at 1,342 aircraft.

Avolon Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Andy Cronin highlighted the market dynamics driving the acquisition.

“We continue to see strong demand for new-technology aircraft, reflected in our placement and trading activity this quarter. Against that backdrop, we are pleased to have reached agreements with Airbus and Boeing that strengthen and extend our long-term delivery pipeline. These orders further enhance our ability to support the future fleet requirements of our airline customers as they renew and expand their fleets into the most fuel-efficient technology available.”

The Airbus portion of the deal cements Avolon’s status as a primary customer for the European manufacturer’s re-engined widebody. According to Airbus, Avolon has now ordered a total of 114 A330-900 aircraft and 650 A320 family aircraft to date.

Benoît de Saint-Exupéry, Executive Vice President (EVP) of Sales for the Commercial Aircraft business at Airbus, noted the significance of the widebody commitment. He stated that the acquisition confirms Avolon’s position as the leading lessor for the A330-900.

Third-quarter leasing and financial activity

The aircraft order was disclosed concurrently with Avolon’s business update for the third quarter of 2026, which demonstrated high asset turnover and strong placement metrics. During the quarter, Avolon acquired 10 aircraft and sold 29. The company also agreed to sell a further 112 aircraft by the end of the quarter.

Leasing activity remained robust, with the lessor executing 84 lease agreements, extensions, and amendments during the three-month period. Avolon placed 28 new-technology aircraft from its order book commitments in the third quarter. As a result, the company ended the quarter with 89 percent of its committed fleet placed for the next 24 months. At the close of the third quarter, prior to the new 250-aircraft order, Avolon’s owned, managed, and committed fleet stood at 1,092 aircraft.

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On the financing front, Avolon expanded its liquidity through two major debt market transactions. The company established a new commercial paper programme sized at US$1.5 billion. Additionally, Avolon closed a US$855 million unsecured term loan with a syndicate composed primarily of Asian banks.

Avolon’s market position and order history

Headquartered in Dublin, Avolon operates as the world’s third-largest aircraft lessor. The company is 70 percent owned by China-based Bohai Leasing Co., Ltd. Because of this ownership structure, the firm orders placed on October 9 require approval from Bohai Leasing’s shareholders. Avolon expects this approval process to conclude before the end of October 2026.

The October 2026 order follows a pattern of large-scale acquisitions designed to maintain a steady pipeline of available aircraft for airline customers. In December 2023, Avolon placed a similarly structured dual-OEM order, committing to 100 A321neo aircraft from Airbus and 40 737 MAX aircraft from Boeing.

The global aviation market is currently characterized by intense demand for new-technology, fuel-efficient aircraft. Airlines are actively seeking to renew aging fleets to meet sustainability targets and expand capacity to capture growing passenger traffic. However, both Boeing and Airbus continue to face persistent supply chain constraints, limiting their ability to ramp up production rates and pushing available direct-from-manufacturer delivery slots well into the next decade.

AirPro News analysis

We view this 250-aircraft order as a strategic capitalization on the current OEM supply-demand imbalance. With direct delivery slots for the A320neo and 737 MAX families largely sold out through the end of the decade, lessors holding firm near-term and medium-term positions possess immense pricing power. By securing 250 firm slots now, Avolon ensures it will have the physical assets required to meet airline capacity shortfalls over the coming years. Furthermore, the addition of 35 A330-900s indicates strong confidence in the impending widebody replacement cycle. As airlines look to retire older A330ceo and Boeing 777 models, the A330neo offers a lower-capital-cost alternative to the Airbus A350 and Boeing 787, and Avolon is positioning itself to dominate the leasing market for that specific type.

Biman Bangladesh Airlines has finalized a firm order for 10 Airbus aircraft, marking a definitive shift toward a mixed-fleet strategy following a year of unprecedented procurement activity.

In a press release issued on October 7, 2026, Airbus confirmed the agreement covers four Airbus A350-900 widebody jets and six Airbus A321neo single-aisle aircraft. The deal diversifies the national carrier’s historically Boeing-dominated fleet and brings its 2026 acquisition pipeline to 35 new aircraft across both major manufacturers.

Strategic fleet diversification

The introduction of Airbus equipment represents a structural change for Biman Bangladesh Airlines, which currently operates a fleet of 19 aircraft consisting primarily of Boeing jets and De Havilland Dash-8 turboprops. The signing ceremony took place in Dhaka, Bangladesh, while Airbus formally announced the order from its headquarters in Toulouse, France.

Biman intends to deploy the new aircraft across distinct network segments. According to statements published by The Daily Star, Biman Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Kaizer Sohel Ahmed indicated the Airbus A350-900s will serve long-haul routes to provide lower fuel burn and emissions. The Airbus A321neos will be utilized to strengthen the carrier’s regional network and open new markets.

Ahmed emphasized that the procurement decision followed rigorous evaluation of the airline’s network and financial strategy, guided by independent expert advice.

Airbus Commercial Aircraft Executive Vice President of Sales Benoît de Saint-Exupéry described the agreement as a significant milestone in the manufacturer’s partnership with the airline.

“Together, the A350 and A321neo form the perfect fleet strategy for Biman as it spreads its wings to new international destinations, catering to the growing demand across its network,” Saint-Exupéry said.

A year of rapid procurement

The Airbus agreement caps a massive procurement cycle for Biman Bangladesh Airlines throughout 2026. Prior to the October 7 announcement, the carrier committed to 25 Boeing aircraft across two separate orders.

On April 30, 2026, Biman ordered 14 Boeing aircraft, comprising Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Boeing 737 MAX models. This was followed on September 23, 2026, by an order for 11 additional aircraft, specifically five Boeing 787-10 Dreamliners and six Boeing 737-8s, according to reporting by Aviation Week.

The combined orders will drive a rapid expansion of the national carrier. Reporting by The Business Standard indicates the procurement pace will see Biman’s fleet grow from 19 to 54 aircraft by 2035. This figure exceeds the government’s previously stated target of 47 aircraft.

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Market drivers and delivery timeline

The fleet expansion is anchored by strong demographic and economic drivers in Bangladesh. Airbus noted the country has a population of 200 million and a global diaspora of 15 million people, particularly concentrated in the Middle East and Southeast Asia. This diaspora maintains high baseline demand for international air travel.

“Bangladesh is a dynamic nation of 200 million people, backed by a resilient economy and a rapidly growing travel market,” said Rumee A. Hossain, Chairman of the Board of Directors for Biman Bangladesh Airlines. “In this context, our planned fleet expansion represents a measured and reasonable ambition.”

Currently, more than 700,000 passengers travel annually between Dhaka and 10 major global cities. The Daily Star reports this specific market is expected to grow by an additional 500,000 passengers by 2030. Reuters notes that Biman currently serves approximately 20 percent of the country’s air passengers.

The exact delivery schedule for the Airbus aircraft remains unconfirmed by the manufacturer. However, Bangladesh Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister M. Rashiduzzaman Millat has publicly requested that Airbus deliver at least one aircraft by the 2026 to 2027 timeframe to expedite the modernization effort. Local media reports suggest the bulk of Biman’s 35 newly ordered aircraft, encompassing both Boeing and Airbus deliveries, will join the fleet between 2031 and 2035.

AirPro News analysis

The decision by Biman Bangladesh Airlines to split its massive 2026 order book between Boeing and Airbus marks a definitive end to Boeing’s historical monopoly over the carrier’s jet fleet. While operating a mixed fleet introduces additional complexity in maintenance, crew training, and spare parts inventory, it also provides the airline with leverage in future negotiations and insulates its expansion plans from production delays at any single manufacturer.

The sheer scale of the expansion presents a significant execution challenge. Tripling the fleet size from 19 to 54 aircraft within a decade will require substantial parallel investments in pilot recruitment, maintenance infrastructure, and ground operations at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (DAC). The success of this multi-billion-dollar procurement cycle will depend heavily on the airline’s ability to scale its operational capacity to match its new metal.

Croatia Airlines has taken delivery of two new Airbus A220-300 aircraft, bringing its next-generation fleet to 13 and signaling the imminent retirement of its legacy Airbus A319s.

The state-owned flag carrier announced the double delivery in an October 5, 2026, press release, marking a critical milestone in its 15-aircraft fleet renewal program. The aircraft arrived at Zagreb Airport (ZAG) from the Airbus facility in Mirabel, Canada, over consecutive days.

Double delivery accelerates fleet modernization

The two new Airbus A220-300s departed the Airbus manufacturing facility in Mirabel (YMX) on October 1 and October 2, 2026. According to flight routing details from AvioRadar, both aircraft transited through Copenhagen Airport (CPH) before touching down in Zagreb on October 2 and October 3, respectively.

Continuing the airline’s tradition of naming its aircraft after Croatian cities, the 12th fleet addition (registration 9A-CAW) is named “Karlovac,” while the 13th (registration 9A-CAX) is named “Sisak.” The newly delivered A220-300s are configured with a passenger seat capacity of 149. The carrier’s active A220 fleet now consists of 11 A220-300s and two smaller A220-100s, which seat 127 passengers, according to EX-YU Aviation News.

Phasing out legacy Airbus and turboprop operations

The arrival of the new airframes coincides with the final stages of Croatia Airlines’ transition to a single-type fleet. The airline is currently retiring its older Airbus A319s to make way for the A220s. EX-YU Aviation News reported that the final commercial flights for the A319 are tentatively scheduled for October 11, 2026, with one final rotation from Zagreb to Split, Rome, Split, and back to Zagreb planned for October 23, 2026.

This transition follows the retirement of the carrier’s last Airbus A320 earlier in the year. The final A320, registered as 9A-CTO, was withdrawn from service on January 26, 2026, concluding nearly three decades of operations for the type at the airline.

The fleet modernization program also extends to the carrier’s regional operations. The airline expects to withdraw its remaining De Havilland Canada Dash 8-400 turboprops by March 2027.

Completing the 15-aircraft order

Croatia Airlines is undertaking the largest fleet renewal project in its history, utilizing the Airbus A220 to modernize its operations. Designed specifically for the 100-150 seat market, the A220 provides the carrier with significant improvements in fuel efficiency and noise reduction compared to its previous-generation aircraft.

The airline expects to take delivery of its 14th Airbus A220 by the end of 2026. The 15th and final aircraft is scheduled for delivery in 2027, which will complete the fleet renewal program. According to EX-YU Aviation News, the final two aircraft are expected to be named “Varaždin” and “Vinkovci.”

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