23 May 2025
Acumen Daily Aviation Brief - 23rd May 2025
Acumen Aviation Newsletters
Acumen Aviation’s newsletters offer deep dives into the most impactful trends and developments across the aviation sector. These resources are crafted to keep you informed about critical industry changes and provide actionable insights:
- China Aviation Industry Newsletter: Covers airline traffic recovery, OEM production shifts, and lessor activity in China’s rapidly normalising domestic and regional markets
READ NOW: https://www.acumen.aero/blogs/-3-may-2025-china-aviation-industry-newsletter
- India Aviation Newsletter: Focuses on fleet expansion by IndiGo, international network developments, and government-backed infrastructure projects in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities
READ NOW: https://www.acumen.aero/blogs/-3-may-2025-india-aviation-newsletter
- Irish Aircraft Leasing Newsletter: Highlights recent sale-leasebacks, portfolio trades, and SPV activity among Ireland-based lessors, alongside financing trends.
READ NOW: https://www.acumen.aero/blogs/-3-may-2025-irish-aircraft-leasing-newsletter
- Irish Commercial Aircraft Update: Tracks aircraft movements, registrations, and transitions involving Irish-managed assets across global markets.
READ NOW: https://www.acumen.aero/blogs/-3-may-2025-irish-commercial-aircraft-update
- North American Aviation Newsletter: Explores airline financials, regional traffic trends, cargo dynamics, and fleet rationalisation across major U.S. and Canadian carriers
READ NOW: https://www.acumen.aero/blogs/-3-may-2025-north-american-aviation-newsletter
IrishAero News
AirExplore Commences TUI Ireland Operations
AirExplore has officially begun operating flights on behalf of TUI Ireland, supporting its 2025 summer charter programme from Dublin.
Acumen’s Take
Seasonal ACMI activity continues to strengthen in Ireland. Acumen supports such partnerships with asset sourcing, lease modelling, and summer utilisation strategies.
Delta Connects Dublin and Detroit with New Nonstop Service
Delta Air Lines has launched a new nonstop route between Dublin and Detroit, enhancing transatlantic connectivity from Ireland’s capital.
Acumen’s Take
This route expansion reaffirms strong U.S.–Ireland travel demand. Acumen tracks such developments to support long-haul fleet planning and widebody lease placement analysis.
Third 737-800(BDSF) Joins ASL Airlines Ireland Fleet
ASL Airlines Ireland has added a third 737-800 Boeing Converted Freighter (BDSF), reinforcing its commitment to narrowbody cargo growth.
Acumen’s Take
ASL’s fleet expansion highlights sustained e-commerce-driven freighter demand. Acumen advises on P2F transitions, cargo market trends, and aircraft lifecycle value optimisation.
Aircraft Update
CDB Aviation Ferries A320neo VP-CWH to Kaunas
VP-CWH (c/n 8503), an Airbus A320-271N formerly operated as VT-WGZ, was ferried to Kaunas on 4th May 2024 under CDB Aviation ownership, likely for storage or transition.
Acumen’s Take
Movements to Kaunas indicate potential remarketing or lease preparation activity. Acumen supports such transitions with end-of-lease management, technical inspection, and asset reactivation planning.
Volaris Takes Delivery of A320neo XA-VVG in Shannon
XA-VVG (c/n 8209), an Airbus A320-271N previously registered as VP-CUE, was delivered to Volaris in Shannon on 7th May 2024, boosting its high-density short-haul fleet.
Acumen’s Take
Volaris continues to scale its A320neo fleet to meet growing LCC demand in the Americas. Acumen tracks narrowbody deliveries to inform lease placement strategy and fleet utilisation benchmarks.
Global Aviation News
Summer 2025 Transatlantic Bookings Outpace 2024
Early data shows transatlantic bookings for Summer 2025 are tracking ahead of 2024, driven by expanded capacity, competitive pricing, and strong leisure demand.
Acumen’s Take
Transatlantic demand resilience supports long-haul fleet commitments. Acumen tracks seasonal booking trends to support lease scheduling, capacity planning, and route-level profitability analysis.
MUFG Provides $52 Million Financing to Viva Aerobus
MUFG has announced a $52 million aircraft financing deal with Viva Aerobus, bolstering the Mexican LCC’s fleet expansion and refinancing strategy.
Acumen’s Take
Access to competitive financing is vital for LCC growth. Acumen supports lenders and operators with credit risk modelling, asset valuation, and structured finance advisory.
Oman Air Removes 737-800BCF from Fleet
Oman Air has withdrawn its 737-800 Boeing Converted Freighter (BCF), indicating a shift away from cargo operations using narrowbody freighters.
Acumen’s Take
Freighter exits point to changing carrier priorities or utilisation metrics. Acumen supports clients with P2F lifecycle planning, redeployment strategies, and secondary market tracking.
SolitAir Targets Double-Digit Freighter Fleet Growth
SolitAir has announced ambitions to build a double-digit freighter fleet, reflecting growing demand in regional cargo markets.
Acumen’s Take
Aggressive expansion in the cargo space highlights sustained market confidence. Acumen provides aircraft sourcing, freighter strategy modelling, and P2F advisory services to support fleet scale-ups.
Travel Inflation Report – May 2025
NerdWallet’s May 2025 Travel Inflation Report reveals moderate airfare increases across key international and domestic routes, with variability depending on destination and booking window.
Acumen’s Take
Inflationary trends impact yield and booking behaviour. Acumen incorporates fare dynamics into demand forecasts and airline financial modelling for lease rate alignment.
U.S. International Travel Up in April 2025
New data shows an increase in international outbound travel from the U.S. in April 2025, led by strong leisure traffic to Europe and Latin America.
Acumen’s Take
Rising outbound volumes from the U.S. suggest robust fleet utilisation across transcontinental networks. Acumen tracks traffic flows to guide aircraft allocation and network expansion decisions.
Irish Aviation News
AerCap Reports Q1 2025 Results Reflecting Stable Portfolio Performance
AerCap posted its Q1 2025 results, highlighting consistent portfolio utilisation and strong lease demand, with continued focus on narrowbody placements and freighter conversions.
Acumen’s Take
Stable earnings underscore AerCap’s leadership in global leasing. Acumen uses such data to support market sentiment analysis and asset performance benchmarking for investors and operators.
AELF Acquires A330-200 from Avolon
AELF has completed the acquisition of an Airbus A330-200 from Avolon, further expanding its widebody leasing portfolio.
Acumen’s Take
This deal highlights liquidity in the A330 market and ongoing lessor-to-lessor trades. Acumen provides technical oversight and valuation support for mid-life widebody transactions.
Azorra Delivers First Airbus A220-300 to Croatia Airlines
Azorra has delivered its first new A220-300 to Croatia Airlines, marking the start of the carrier’s fleet renewal programme.
Acumen’s Take
The A220 continues to gain traction among European carriers. Acumen supports lessors with next-gen aircraft placement strategy, market entry analysis, and transition planning.
BeauTech Acquires Four E175s on Lease to LOT Polish Airlines from Altavair
BeauTech has acquired four Embraer E175s currently on lease to LOT, bolstering its regional jet portfolio through a strategic acquisition from Altavair.
Acumen’s Take
Strong demand for regional jets is driving portfolio reshuffling. Acumen tracks such trades and supports remarketing, lease management, and asset lifecycle planning for regional platforms.
CarTrawler Signs Car Rental Partnership with Virgin Australia
Irish tech firm CarTrawler has announced a car rental partnership with Virgin Australia, expanding its global travel technology integration.
Acumen’s Take
Ireland’s aviation tech sector continues to make global inroads. Acumen monitors such partnerships as part of broader travel ecosystem innovation and ancillary revenue strategy.
Cork Airport Competes Directly with Shannon for New Passenger Growth
Cork Airport is positioning itself to capture new traffic, placing it in direct competition with Shannon Airport for airlines seeking secondary Irish gateways.
Acumen’s Take
Regional airport competition drives strategic route negotiations and airline incentives. Acumen supports network planning and base selection strategies through traffic modelling and economic viability analysis.
Dublin Airport April 2025 Update Shows Strong Traffic Performance
Dublin Airport has reported a robust passenger performance in April 2025, continuing its post-pandemic recovery with high terminal throughput and operational resilience.
Acumen’s Take
Sustained traffic volumes support long-term airline commitments and lease renewals. Acumen integrates monthly airport data into fleet planning, terminal capacity forecasting, and route profitability analysis.
Tweet Picks
@emirates 2024-25 was an outstanding year for Emirates. We achieved a record profit before tax of US$5.8 billion, and also hit new records for EBITDA, revenue, and cash balance levels.
@SeanM1997 IndiGo is planning hub-and-spoke operations from Mumbai to streamline northern traffic as it eyes new long-haul routes to Amsterdam and Manchester.
@skift Expedia Group is rapidly expanding its B2B business, which powers hotel booking capabilities for bank and airline apps. It is expanding its offering to include four new products: Flights, rental cars, ticketed activities, and travel insurance.
@skift From Skift Asia Forum today in Bangkok: Thai Airways’ turnaround shows that rebuilding trust, not just balance sheets, is key to recovery. It’s real test will be sustaining momentum in an increasingly competitive Asian hub landscape.
Video Picks
Capital A CEO Tony Fernandes on Expansion into Saudi Arabia
Tony Fernandes, CEO of Capital A, discusses the group’s entry into the Saudi Arabian market, highlighting AirAsia’s ambitions to tap into one of the fastest-growing aviation regions globally.
Acumen’s Take
Low-cost carrier expansion into Saudi Arabia signals the market’s liberalisation and growing tourism demand. Acumen tracks such geographic shifts to guide route entry analysis and fleet deployment planning.
Airlines Bet Big on Ultra-Luxury: The Rise of First-Class Suites
This report examines how airlines are investing billions in revamped first-class cabins, including five-window suites and private seating pods, to attract premium travellers.
Acumen’s Take
The return of ultra-luxury long-haul service reflects a strategic push for high-margin yields. Acumen evaluates the impact of cabin product evolution on aircraft retrofits, leasing premiums, and asset desirability.
Qatar Airways Makes Largest Deal in Boeing History
Qatar Airways finalises a record-breaking agreement with Boeing, marking the largest widebody aircraft and engine deal in the company’s history.
Acumen’s Take
This milestone order reinforces Qatar Airways’ growth trajectory and Boeing’s widebody momentum. Acumen provides delivery forecasting, order book analysis, and strategic fleet advisory in response to such landmark deals.
