AerCap signed a lease agreement with LIFT for an Airbus A320-200 aircraft. AerCap delivered the Airbus A320 to South Africa where it is due to enter service in May and operate across LIFT’s network. LIFT recently added three aircraft to its fleet and expanded its route network connecting the South African cities of Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town.

“While Global Aviation has been around for over 20 years and has owned and leased many aircraft, the lease with AerCap is an important milestone for LIFT. Signing with the global leader in aviation leasing is no small feat for a young airline, and having AerCap’s support serves as a significant vote of confidence for our entire team,” Jonathan Ayache, CEO of LIFT, said.

“We are committed to increasing our seat capacity to ±1.5 million over the next 12 months from ±370 000 in 2022. Our demand-driven business model means we pursue these growth opportunities in a prudent manner and in line with our goal of building a sustainable airline industry in South Africa,” Ayache said.

“We are delighted to support LIFT with their fleet expansion,” Peter Anderson, chief commercial officer of AerCap, said. “AerCap is the largest lessor in Africa, with 14 airline customers on the continent and we are pleased to continue to support the growth and development of the aviation market in South Africa. We wish Jonathan Ayache and the LIFT management team every success with their ambitious growth plans and we look forward to working with them in the future.”