ASL Aviation Holdings has firmed options for ten B737-800(BCF)s, increasing its total order for the converted freighters to 21 aircraft.
The Irish holding placed an initial order for ten B737-800(BCF)s with options for ten more in 2019. On top of this recent firm order, it also ordered another one aircraft in the meanwhile.
"The performance and reliability of the B737-800BCF make it the perfect fit for our combined fleet renewal and growth programmes and so we have moved to confirm our 10 options earlier than planned", Chief Executive Dave Andrew said.
The holding said that the newly ordered aircraft will be operated by its in-house carriers: ASL Airlines Ireland, ASL Airlines Belgium, and ASL Airlines France.
The first B737-800(BCF) was delivered to ASL Airlines France in late November 2020 and entered into revenue service on December 9. The ex-Pegasus Airlines and ex-Ryanair narrowbody was converted by Taikoo (Shandong) Aircraft Engineering Co. Ltd at Jinan airport. ASL's second B737-800(BCF) is due for delivery by the end of February 2021 to the group's Thai joint-venture, K-Mile Asia (8K, Bangkok Suvarnabhumi).
ASL said that a further four B737-800s are currently under conversion while another two are expected to be inducted for conversion "in the coming weeks".
Besides the 21 direct-order B737-800(BCF)s, ASL Aviation Holdings also dry-leases two units of the type, currently operated by ASL Airlines Ireland for Amazon.com, from GECAS, the ch-aviation fleets module shows.
