Xiamen Aircraft Leasing, an enterprise within the Xiamen Free Trade Zone, recently completed the delivery of five Airbus A319 high-altitude variant passenger aircraft. This marks the official implementation of China's first tax-paid aircraft asset sale-leaseback transaction.
In this transaction, Shenzhen Airlines publicly listed and transferred five A319 passenger aircraft through an exchange, with a total value exceeding 1 billion yuan ($143 million). After completing the acquisition, Xiamen Aircraft Leasing delivered the aircraft to Sichuan Airlines via an operating lease for deployment on high-altitude routes.
These aircraft models deliver excellent high-altitude takeoff and landing performance and operational reliability, directly addressing Sichuan Airlines' capacity gap in the complex terrain of southwestern regions while also helping Shenzhen Airlines optimize and upgrade its aging fleet.
This transaction innovatively establishes an integrated "asset disposal + leasing operation" model for airlines, marking a milestone for Xiamen FTZ as it expands its non-local aviation leasing market.
To date, the zone has established stable partnerships with nearly 20 major airlines, with the share of aircraft leased to non-local carriers steadily rising to 40 percent, achieving leapfrog development.