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AviLease to buy 40 Airbus jets including 10 freighters, sources say

Zawyaa day ago

Saudi leasing company AviLease is close to placing an order for 10 Airbus A350F freighters and 30 A320neo-family passenger planes, industry sources said on Wednesday.
The final deal, fine-tuning expectations of an Airbus order for the fast-growing lessor reported by Reuters in late May, may be announced at the Paris Air show next week, the sources said.
Airbus declined to comment, while a representative for AviLease did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
(Reporting by Tim Hepher; Editing by Jan Harvey)

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