ACMI News Today: Avianca Flies for Etihad, A350F Lease Rates Near $1.55m, JetBlue Taps Aircraft Collateral (October 27, 2026)
Avianca starts a one-year ACMI deal flying Etihad’s Abu Dhabi to Barcelona route with a 787-8, IBA values a new A350F near US$198m with lease rates up to US$1.55m a month, and JetBlue plans about US$250m of aircraft-backed financing after a US$257m Q3 loss.
ACMI News Today: A Colombian Dreamliner Takes Over an Etihad Route as Freighter Values Climb
Widebody capacity is tight enough that airlines are borrowing it from the other side of the world. Avianca has started a year-long ACMI contract flying an Etihad route between Abu Dhabi and Barcelona, IBA has put a price tag of almost US$200m on a new A350 freighter, and JetBlue is turning to its aircraft as collateral after another quarterly loss. Here is what matters for ACMI providers, lessors and capacity buyers today.
Today at a glance
Avianca's 787-8 N791AV now flies Etihad's EY111/112 under a one-year wet lease. IBA values a 2027 A350F at US$197m to US$198m with lease rates up to US$1.55m a month, as Airbus' freighter order book reaches 115. JetBlue posts a US$257m third-quarter loss and lines up about US$250m of aircraft-backed financing for the fourth quarter.
Avianca wet-leases a 787-8 to Etihad for a year on Abu Dhabi to Barcelona
Since October 25, Avianca has been operating Etihad Airways flights EY111 and EY112 between Abu Dhabi and Barcelona under an ACMI agreement that runs until October 25, 2027. Avianca provides the aircraft, flight and cabin crews, maintenance and insurance, while Etihad sells the service under its own EY flight numbers. The aircraft on the contract is N791AV, a Boeing 787-8 that flew Avianca's own Bogotá to Europe services until it repositioned to Barcelona on October 24.
Etihad still flies the second daily frequency on the route with its own 787-9, and the Avianca-operated flights also carry AV codeshare numbers. Air Data News links the deal to the strategic partnership that Abra Group and Etihad announced at Farnborough in July. It also notes that Abra already owns a stake in Spanish ACMI specialist Wamos Air, which has supplied A330s to Etihad before, so the group chose a scheduled carrier over its own wet-lease arm for this contract.
IBA puts a new A350F at almost US$200m, ahead of the 777F
Aviation advisory firm IBA expects a new Airbus A350 freighter delivered next year to carry a value of US$197m to US$198m, with monthly lease rates of US$1.53m to US$1.55m. The only widebody production freighter on the market today, the Boeing 777F, is valued at around US$170m and leases for about US$1.35m a month. IBA points to the A350F's roughly 111-tonne payload against 103 tonnes for the 777F, its commonality with passenger A350s and its oversized main-deck door, and expects it to enter service one to two years before the 777-8F.
Airbus now holds 115 firm A350F orders from 14 disclosed customers, against 89 from nine for the 777-8F. Reuters sources have named Kalitta Air as the undisclosed buyer of eight A350Fs, although Kalitta says it is still evaluating the type and has no order to announce.
JetBlue loses US$257m and leans on its aircraft for new financing
JetBlue grew third-quarter revenue 21.1% to US$2.81bn on only 2.3% more capacity, but still posted a US$257m net loss as its average fuel price rose 57.4% to US$3.91 a gallon. Fuel spending rose by US$329m, absorbing about two-thirds of the extra revenue. Cash fell to US$1.26bn at the end of September, debt stayed at about US$8.4bn, and the airline expects to pay around US$590m in interest this year.
To shore up liquidity, JetBlue plans to raise about US$250m in the fourth quarter through financing backed by aircraft and says it still has about US$7bn of unencumbered assets, including roughly US$2.8bn in aircraft and engines. The fleet stood at 298 Airbus jets, with the A220 now carrying growth to 2030 while most of its 44 deferred A321neos arrive later. It expects fuel to average US$4.64 a gallon in the fourth quarter and still targets operating profitability in 2027.
Deal tracker
| Deal | Parties | Assets | Timing | Capacity signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EY111/112 ACMIWidebody wet lease | Avianca → Etihad Airways | 1 × Boeing 787-8 (N791AV) | Oct 25, 2026 to Oct 25, 2027 | Gulf carriers buying long-haul lift from scheduled airlines |
| A350F valuationMarket value | IBA | US$197m to US$198m; US$1.53m to US$1.55m a month | 2027 delivery | New widebody freighters priced above the 777F |
| A350F order (reported)Freighter order | Kalitta Air (per Reuters sources) → Airbus | 8 × A350F | Booked in August, unconfirmed | 747F operators planning their replacements |
| Aircraft-backed financingSecured debt | JetBlue Airways | About US$250m against aircraft | Q4 2026 | Fuel-hit airlines monetising fleets |
| Fleet retirementWidebody exit | Lufthansa | Last A340-600s; A340-300s to go by 2027 or 2028 | Final flight Oct 18 to 19 | Four-engine passenger capacity leaving Europe |
Other moves worth tracking
- Lufthansa A340-600: the airline flew its last A340-600 service, LH419 from Washington Dulles to Frankfurt, ending almost 23 years with the type. It keeps a fleet of A340-300s for now, and two 747-400s are being grounded for the winter ahead of the jumbo's planned exit in 2027.
- Air Atlanta: in an interview with Air Cargo News, chief executive Baldvin Mar Hermannsson said all of the ACMI provider's aircraft are on long-term contracts and it could place another 747 within minutes if it had one. Atlas Air took a 49% stake in the airline this summer, and its Maltese AOC now holds more of the fleet than the Icelandic one.
- Midsize freighter gap: at the Cargo Facts Symposium, executives called on Airbus, Boeing and conversion shops to develop a replacement for the 767 freighter, with eyes on a 787 conversion. Our guide to 767-300F wet lease costs and terms covers the type that still dominates this segment.
For EU and UK approval rules on foreign-registered capacity such as Avianca's 787, see our guide to wet-lease regulations. Operators financing aircraft acquisitions or conversions can explore structured finance advisory through Financely.
Frequently asked questions
Why is Avianca flying between Abu Dhabi and Barcelona?
Since October 25, 2026, Avianca has operated Etihad Airways flights EY111 and EY112 between Abu Dhabi and Barcelona under a one-year ACMI (wet-lease) agreement running to October 25, 2027. Avianca supplies a Boeing 787-8 with crews, maintenance and insurance, while Etihad sells the seats under its own flight numbers.
What is a new Airbus A350 freighter worth?
Aviation advisory firm IBA expects a new A350F delivered in 2027 to be valued at about US$197m to US$198m, with monthly lease rates of US$1.53m to US$1.55m. That compares with around US$170m and US$1.35m a month for a new Boeing 777F.
How many A350 freighters have been ordered?
Airbus has 115 firm A350F orders from 14 disclosed customers, against 89 firm orders from nine disclosed customers for the Boeing 777-8F. Reuters reported in October 2026 that Kalitta Air is behind an undisclosed order for eight A350Fs, which Kalitta has not confirmed.
How is JetBlue raising cash after its third-quarter loss?
JetBlue lost US$257m in the third quarter of 2026 despite a 21.1% rise in revenue, mainly because fuel costs jumped. It expects to raise about US$250m in the fourth quarter through aircraft-backed financing and says it holds about US$7bn of unencumbered assets, including roughly US$2.8bn in aircraft and engines.
Key takeaways
Widebody lift is the scarce commodity on both sides of the market. Etihad is buying a full year of 787 capacity from a Latin American carrier, and new-build freighters are being valued well above the 777F because nothing else is available until the A350F and 777-8F arrive. At the same time, fuel costs are pushing airlines such as JetBlue to raise cash against their fleets. ACMI providers with available widebodies should expect longer, better-paid contracts, while capacity buyers should lock in winter and summer 2027 lift early and check the credit of the airlines they sell capacity to.
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