Dubai Aerospace Enterprise divests inherited A220 fleet to US leasing firm Azorra

Twinjets were originally ordered by Nordic Aviation Capital.
US-based lessor Azorra has acquired the entire batch of Airbus A220s in the portfolio of Middle Eastern leasing firm Dubai Aerospace Enterprise.

DAE owned two A220-300s — both on lease with Angolan flag-carrier TAAG — and was committed to a further six.

These additional six jets are due for delivery over the course of 2027-28.

Its divestment of the A220s appears to have resulted from a rejig after it inherited the aircraft from Nordic Aviation Capital.

Nordic ordered 20 A220s in 2019 but cut it back to just eight aircraft in mid-2024. The two TAAG A220s were originally leased through Nordic.

DAE acquired Nordic in a $2 billion deal early in 2025.

The Dubai-based lessor subsequently hived off large parts of its portfolio, divesting 48 Embraer E-Jets to Azorra.

Azorra had also previously picked up nearly 40 regional aircraft when Nordic emerged from a Chapter 11 restructuring.

The US lessor says the DAE agreement increases its A220-300 commitments to 15 aircraft.

“Acquiring DAE’s A220 orderbook strengthens our position in the small narrowbody segment and reflects growing demand for new generation, fuel efficient aircraft,” says Azorra vice-president, commercial, Andrew Zavatsky.

“Assignment of these aircraft underscores our long-standing partnership with Airbus and DAE, as well as our capacity to deploy capital at scale.”

Florida-based Azorra says its owned and managed fleet totals over 300 aircraft.

DAE’s portfolio at the end of the first quarter — which still included the A220s — stood at 489 owned and 109 managed aircraft, plus 65 commitments.

The post Dubai Aerospace Enterprise divests inherited A220 fleet to US leasing firm Azorra first appeared on FlightGlobal.

Aviation