Newly acquired Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner to be operated on long-term lease with American Airlines

Phoenix Aviation Capital and AIP Capital have jointly acquired a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner from ORIX Aviation, securing a long-term lease with American Airlines. This strategic acquisition and lease transfer will not disrupt American Airlines' operations, ensuring the aircraft remains part of their active fleet.

For lessor Phoenix Aviation Capital and AIP Capital, this deal reflects a strategic focus on investing in high-value aviation assets, leveraging the ongoing recovery of global air travel. Commenting on the agreement, Mathew Adamo, Managing Partner at AIP Capital, who also serves on the board of Phoenix, said:

The Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner acquired by Phoenix Aviation Capital and AIP Capital is a 2018 model powered by GEnx engines. It carries the serial number 40646 and is registered as N839AA.

Commenting on the acquisition, James Meyler, CEO at ORIX Aviation, said:

“We are delighted to have successfully completed our first transaction with AIP Capital and Phoenix Aviation Capital. We look forward to working closely again with both in the future.”

According to ch-aviation data, the aircraft in question can accommodate a total of 285 passengers in a four-class cabin layout: 198 in economy class, 36 in economy plus, 21 in premium economy, and 30 in business class.

As of June 2024, the widebody aircraft has accumulated 20,403 flight hours and completed 2,898 flight cycles. The most recent flights conducted with this 787-9 widebody was transatlantic long-haul journeys between Dallas (DFW) and London Heathrow (LHR) as well as Chicago (ORD) and London (LHR), as per Flightradar24.com data.

Currently, American Airlines operates a total of 22 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners. In addition, the carrier is awaiting the delivery of 30 additional 787-9s, according to ch-aviation data.

It is also worth noting that American Airlines has a hefty fleet of 37 Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner variants, which generally have a slightly smaller capacity.

The airline's 787-8 aircraft typically accommodate 234 passengers in a four-class cabin configuration: 138 in economy class, 48 in economy plus, 28 in premium economy, and 20 in business class.

In a September 2024 announcement, American Airlines a series of new seasonal European routes for summer 2025.

The airline will connect four different US hubs with five transatlantic destinations - Athens, Madrid, Rome, Edinburgh, and Milan. Notably, the airline will deploy its Boeing 787-8s and Boeing 777-300ER on these routes.

American Airlines' new route between Philadelphia and Edinburgh will mark the first time the carrier has operated to the Scottish city since October 2019, when the seasonal route ended and was not brought back in 2020 due to the pandemic.

Although American Airlines will be the only carrier operating this route between Philadelphia and Edinburgh, it does face indirect competition across the Atlantic from other US airlines, including JetBlue, United Airlines, and Delta Air Lines.