India's Quikjet completes certification, aims to relaunch

ASL Aviation Holdings secures $104mn from Investec

ASL Aviation Holdings has locked in a long-term USD104.1 million loan and revolving credit facility (RCF) with Investec Aviation Finance. The transaction, arranged by Investec Bank, is secured by 18 aircraft, including ten freighters and eight passenger-configured planes.

In a November 15, 2023, statement, Investec said the transaction involved further refinancing and the upsizing of existing facilities with Investec and other lenders. "Our relationship with ASL goes back more than a decade," said Thato Matsha, Senior Associate of Aviation Finance at Investec South Africa. "We hope to continue to support ASL in the coming years.”

The statement says the passenger aircraft are placed at ASL Airlines France (5O, Paris CDG) and FlySafair (FA, Johannesburg O.R. Tambo). ch-aviation has identified those aircraft as;

• F-HIXA (msn 35332), a B737-800 awaiting conversion and placed at ASL Airlines France;
• F-HIXB (msn 35339), a B737-800 placed at ASL Airlines France;
• ZS-SJR (msn 32631), a B737-800 placed at FlySafair;
• ZS-SJS (msn 32632), a B737-800 placed at FlySafair;
• ZS-SJT (msn 32633), a...

ASL Airlines UK inducts first B737-800(BCF)

ASL Airlines UK (ABV, Nottingham East Midlands) has inducted its first B737-800(BCF), its first jet, and begun operating international services.

G-OHJK (msn 35701), a 15.5-year-old aircraft formerly operated in passenger configuration by Pegasus Airlines, was delivered to ASL Aviation Holdings in 2022, initially placed with ASL Airlines Belgium and later with ASL Airlines Ireland. It was transferred to the British register on May 10, 2023, and ferried from Shannon to Belfast International on June 4, 2023. Flightradar24 ADS-B data shows that following another ferry flight to Paris CDG, it entered into revenue service on June 21, 2023.

The British unit of ASL Aviation Holdings uses the aircraft to connect its base at Nottingham East Midlands with Paris CDG and Belfast. The airline's only other aircraft, an ATR72-200(F), is deployed exclusively between East Midlands and Belfast, and does not ply international sectors.

"We are delighted to welcome our first B737-800(BCF)aircraft. This milestone is a positive statement of our confidence in the future of ASL UK...

ASL Aviation Holdings secures $155mn loan from Goldman Sachs

ASL Aviation Holdings has secured a USD155 million new credit facility in the form of an enhanced secured term loan from US investment bank, Goldman Sachs. The funds, which can be drawn down over a 15 month period, reflect a growing relationship between Goldman Sachs and ASL.

According to ASL Group Chief Financial Officer, Mark O’Kelly, the monies will be exclusively used to fund the BCF (Boeing-converted freighter) program. ASL has secured 40 slots with Boeing to complete its fleet renewal program. ASL is now the largest operator of B737-800(BCF)s, with its 16th expected to start flying later this month.

“We are delighted with the support shown for our market plans and positioning by Goldman Sachs," said O'Kelly via a statement. "The indicative rate achieved demonstrates the strong confidence in the market for our fleet renewal plans and our expansion strategy.” ASL locked in an initial USD125 million loan facility from Goldman Sachs in 2Q 2021, and increased that to USD200 million in July 2022.

ASL owns stakes in seven airlines based in...

ASL Aviation Holdings buys Australia's Pionair

ASL Aviation Group has acquired Australian cargo and ACMI airline Pionair Australia (PH, Sydney Bankstown) and will rebrand it to ASL Airlines Australia. Both entities confirmed the transaction on April 3.

ASL Aviation Holdings CEO Dave Andrew said that moving into the Australian and Southwest Pacific markets was a "logical step" for ASL, adding: "Pionair was a natural fit for us, with the same field of operations and a foundation of safety, reliability, and quality."

The purchase price was not disclosed, but all of the required regulatory approvals have been received and the acquisition took immediate effect.

ASL Aviation already has airline interests in Europe, Asia, and South Africa, its brands including ASL Airlines Ireland, ASL Airlines Belgium, ASL Airlines France, ASL Airlines UK, Thailand's K-Mile Asia, India's Quikjet Airlines, and both Safair and FlySafair in South Africa. The parent company said that the various airlines operate a combined 140 aircraft ranging from ATR72s to B747s.

Pionair is a well-regarded and longstanding Australian operator that...