ASL Aviation Secures 747-400 Freighter Fleet with Outright Purchase from Lessor

## ASL Aviation Converts Leased 747s to Owned Assets in Capacity Play ASL Aviation Holdings, the Dublin-headquartered provider of dedicated air freight and express transportation services, has moved to secure long-term freighter capacity by purchasing two Boeing 747-400 aircraft that had previously been operated by its subsidiary ASL Airlines Belgium under lease arrangements, according to FreightWaves. The acquisition converts existing operational assets from leased to owned status, a strategic move that provides the group with greater financial flexibility and operational certainty over the wide-body freighter capacity it deploys on behalf of express carrier partners and other shippers. The Boeing 747-400 freighter remains a workhorse of the global air cargo industry, offering a main-deck payload capacity of approximately 113 tonnes and intercontinental range. For integrated express carriers and freight forwarders relying on dedicated lift, securing access to such aircraft through ownership rather than lease agreements can offer meaningful cost and scheduling advantages over the medium to long term. ASL Aviation Holdings operates one of Europe's largest fleets of freighter aircraft and provides ACMI (Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance and Insurance) and charter services to a range of express and e-commerce logistics customers. The group's airline subsidiaries operate across Europe, Africa and Asia, making fleet stability a critical operational consideration. While the financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed, the purchase underscores a broader trend among mid-tier air freight operators to lock in owned capacity amid continued strong demand from e-commerce and express parcel sectors, and in response to ongoing volatility in the aircraft leasing market. *Source: FreightWaves*