The Week in brief
- BAE Systems has agreed to sell its aircraft lease portfolio and asset management business to Fortress Investment Group for $187 million. The deal, which is expected to close in the third quarter, is subject to regulatory approval. The predominately UK-based BAE currently serves 16 lease customers and manages a fleet of 151 planes.
- According to an Airbus press release, easyJet has become the "youngest and quickest airline" to reach a fleet of 200 Airbus planes. The record-breaking plane is an A320. The majority of the carrier's 200 Airbus planes are A319s, of which easyJet operates more than 166.
- According to the Air Transport Association, U.S. airlines experienced a 22 percent average year-over-year increase in freight and mail shipments last month. The increase breaks down to a 24 percent rise in international shipments and a 17 percent increase in domestic shipments.
- With the addition of Aries Global Logistics, the Conqueror Freight Network has added its 100th city only four months after its initial launch. According to a press release, "Conqueror is recruiting strong and solvent independent forwarders to act as 'virtual branches' in each of the world's 564 largest cities. Members now have a total of more than 8,000 employees." Aries Global Logistics expanded the network to New York, Philadelphia, Atlanta and Miami. "The idea is to equip our members with all the advantages previously enjoyed only by the mega forwarders, including a global network of reliable agents, exclusive software to delimit territories, a payment-protected environment, and even a dispute resolution service," Conqueror's network development manager Russell Whittington said in a statement.
- Cabot Aviation has facilitated the transaction of three aircraft on behalf of TNT Airways. S.A. Kalitta Turbine Leasing, LLC, has purchased one Airbus A300B4-100F and two Airbus A300B4-200Fs from the company. The three planes were discontinued from TNT service in 2009.
