GECAS leases A318s to Avianca

GECAS has leased the 10 Airbus A318s previously operated by Mexicana to Colombia's Avianca. A GECAS spokesman confirms the leasing company has successfully remarketed the 10 A318s that were on lease to Mexicana and the aircraft are in the process of being prepared for re-delivery to Avianca. The Colombian carrier plans to take all 10 A318s next year and use them to replace its fleet of Fokker 100s, which are primarily used on domestic routes.

The A318 will be a new aircraft type for Avianca, but the carrier already operates a fast-growing fleet of A319s and A320s.

The remaining portion of the Fokker fleet will most likely be replaced with A319s from Avianca's outstanding order with Airbus.

Avianca-TACA also has been looking at potentially operating some of its Embraer E-190s on Colombian routes now served with Fokker 100s. Avianca-TACA currently only operates E-190s from TACA's hubs in Central America.

Avianca was originally looking at waiting until about 2014, when new-generation 100-seat aircraft will be available, to replace its Fokker 100s. The carrier began evaluating last year the Bombardier CSeries, Mitsubishi MRJ and Sukhoi Superjet for this requirement with a selection originally expected this year.