The board of Jazeera Airways (J9, Kuwait) has agreed to purchase six A320-200s currently on operating leases at the carrier. The directors made the decision during a December 8 board meeting, the minutes of which were filed with the Kuwaiti stock exchange (Boursa Kuwait) the following day.
The deal is worth KWD55.57 million dinars (USD180.6 million). The airline will fund the acquisitions from its internal reserves and loans from local banks.
According to ch-aviation fleets data, Jazeera Airways operates thirteen A320-200s. All are leased, with four sourced from SMBC Aviation Capital, three from Avolon, three from AerCap, and one each from ORIX Aviation, Zephyrus Aviation Capital, and DAE Capital. The airline did not disclose which six aircraft will be bought.
The deal's immediate impact is a one-time gain of around KWD1.11 million (USD3.6 million) due to the early termination of the lease agreements. The filing says the purchase of the six aircraft is expected to positively impact Jazeera's financial statements in the medium to long term.
Jazeera Airways flies to 61 airports in 28 countries with a fleet of twenty-four aircraft, including the thirteen A320-200s and eleven A320-200Ns.