ACMI News Today: SundAir’s 737 Wet Leases, ACG’s 75-Jet Airbus Order, Lufthansa Buys Into TAP (October 17, 2026)
SundAir adds two wet-leased 737-800s from Enter Air and Fly4, flyplus takes a Jazeera A320, Aviation Capital Group orders 75 A320neo Family jets, Lufthansa agrees to buy 44.9% of TAP and FTL Airlines leases an ex-Geodis A330 freighter.
ACMI News Today: Enter Air Group Jets Join SundAir as Lessors Bet Big on the A320neo
Wet leasing does not stop at the end of summer. European and Middle Eastern carriers are still bringing in outside narrowbodies for October, a US lessor has placed its biggest Airbus order yet, and Lufthansa has finally won its stake in TAP. In cargo, a returned A330 freighter is getting a second life with a French operator. Here is what matters for ACMI providers, lessors and capacity buyers this week.
Today at a glance
SundAir adds two wet-leased 737-800s from Enter Air and Fly4, and Egypt's flyplus takes a Jazeera Airways A320. Aviation Capital Group orders 75 A320neo Family jets and delivers another A321neo to Wizz Air. Lufthansa agrees to buy 44.9% of TAP, and FTL Airlines picks up an A330P2F handed back by Geodis.
SundAir adds two wet-leased 737-800s from the Enter Air group
German leisure carrier SundAir has brought in two wet-leased Boeing 737-800s from October, ch-aviation reported on October 16. EI-FFD comes from Dublin-based Fly4 Airlines and began revenue flights on October 1, while SP-ESE from Enter Air followed a day later after repositioning from Katowice to Hamburg.
Both aircraft come from the same group, since Fly4 is a 51/49 joint venture between Enter Air and TUI Group. Fly4 says this is the second year in a row SundAir has chosen it for ACMI flying. The 737s join an A319, 9A-BER, that Fly Air41 Airways has on long-term wet lease to SundAir. ch-aviation said it had asked all three airlines to confirm the arrangements.
Egypt's flyplus takes a Jazeera Airways A320 on wet lease
flyplus, the Egyptian carrier formerly known as Nesma Airlines, has added a wet-leased A320-200 from Kuwait's Jazeera Airways. The 180-seat aircraft, 9K-CAO, was delivered new to Jazeera in 2014 and entered service for flyplus on October 1, flying from Cairo to Saudi cities including Jeddah, Tabuk and Gassim.
It is the third wet lease flyplus has taken this year. An A320 from BBN Airlines Türkiye and an A321 from Sky Vision Airlines have flown for the airline since July, alongside its own fleet of eight A320s and five A321s.
Aviation Capital Group orders 75 A320neo Family jets
Newport Beach lessor Aviation Capital Group (ACG) has signed a firm order for 75 Airbus A320neo Family aircraft, announced by Airbus on October 16. It is ACG's largest order to date and takes its historical orders for the type to 190. The value, the split between A320neos and A321neos, and delivery dates were not disclosed.
ACG reported 504 owned, managed and committed aircraft at the end of June, and ITOCHU is buying a 50% stake in its holding company from Tokyo Century, with the share transfer expected in November. A day earlier, ACG delivered an A321neo to Wizz Air, the third of four under a sale-and-leaseback agreement.
Lufthansa wins the race for 44.9% of TAP Air Portugal
Portugal's government announced on October 14 that Lufthansa will buy a 44.9% stake in TAP Air Portugal in a deal valued at EUR 1.2 billion. Prime Minister Luís Montenegro said Lufthansa outbid Air France-KLM, the only other bidder. The state stays the main shareholder, with 5% reserved for TAP's employees, and the deal needs EU approval.
TAP operates more than 90 aircraft to over 90 destinations, and its routes to Brazil are seen as its most valuable asset. Earlier privatisation attempts in 1998 and 2015 both ended with the airline back in state hands.
FTL Airlines to enter the freighter market with an ex-Geodis A330P2F
Paris-based FTL Airlines will lease a 2005-vintage A330-300P2F from JP Lease Products and Services (JLPS), Cargo Facts reported on October 14. The aircraft was returned to JLPS by French forwarder Geodis, which ended its lease late last month.
FTL has had no freighter in revenue service since February, so the A330 marks a restart of its cargo operations. No start date or routes have been announced. JLPS was also in the news this month for selling an A350 on lease to Finnair to AviLease.
Deal tracker
| Deal | Parties | Aircraft | Timing | Capacity signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SundAir wet leasesPassenger ACMI | Enter Air and Fly4 → SundAir | 2 × 737-800 (EI-FFD, SP-ESE) | From October 1-2 | Winter wet-lease demand in Germany |
| flyplus wet leasePassenger ACMI | Jazeera Airways → flyplus | 1 × A320-200 (9K-CAO) | From October 1 | Gulf narrowbodies placed in Egypt |
| ACG Airbus orderLessor order | Aviation Capital Group → Airbus | 75 × A320neo Family | Announced October 16 | Lessors securing future narrowbody slots |
| Wizz Air SLBSale and leaseback | ACG → Wizz Air | 1 × A321neo (third of four) | Delivered October 15 | Airlines funding new deliveries through lessors |
| TAP stakeAirline M&A | Lufthansa → TAP Air Portugal | 90+ aircraft group | Subject to EU approval | European consolidation continues |
| A330P2F leaseFreighter lease | JLPS → FTL Airlines | 1 × A330-300P2F | Start date not announced | Returned freighters finding new operators |
Other moves worth tracking
- Aircastle: the Stamford lessor reported second-quarter net income of USD 69 million, up from USD 57 million a year earlier, on revenue of USD 283 million and USD 38 million of gains from aircraft sales.
- Azorra: the regional and crossover jet lessor bought six aircraft and sold six in the third quarter, along with three airframes and an engine, and completed seven aircraft and eight engine deliveries.
- Almarex Aviation Ventures: plans to launch an Armenia to UAE cargo service in November, CAPA reported on October 13.
- Wizz Air: told the World Aviation Festival on October 13 that it is talking to European airports about opportunities if weaker competitors withdraw, with Italy and Spain under consideration. Our guide to protecting capacity when an ACMI provider fails covers the contract side of airline exits.
For capacity buyers comparing options, see our list of top cargo ACMI providers and our guide to operating and finance leases. Operators financing aircraft acquisitions or conversions can explore structured finance advisory through Financely.
Frequently asked questions
Which airlines are supplying SundAir's wet-leased Boeing 737-800s?
According to ch-aviation, SundAir added two wet-leased Boeing 737-800s in October 2026: EI-FFD from Fly4 Airlines and SP-ESE from Enter Air. Both are Enter Air group carriers, since Fly4 is a 51/49 joint venture between Enter Air and TUI Group. They fly alongside an A319 wet leased long term from Fly Air41 Airways.
How big is Aviation Capital Group's new Airbus order?
Aviation Capital Group signed a firm order for 75 Airbus A320neo Family aircraft, announced on October 16, 2026. It is the lessor's largest order to date and takes its total historical A320neo Family orders to 190. The value, model split and delivery schedule were not disclosed.
What are the terms of Lufthansa's investment in TAP Air Portugal?
Portugal's government announced on October 14, 2026 that Lufthansa will buy a 44.9% stake in TAP Air Portugal in a deal it valued at EUR 1.2 billion, beating Air France-KLM. The government remains the main shareholder, 5% is reserved for employees, and the deal still needs EU regulatory approval.
Where is FTL Airlines getting its A330 freighter?
Cargo Facts reported on October 14, 2026 that Paris-based FTL Airlines will lease a 2005-vintage A330-300P2F from JP Lease Products and Services. The aircraft was returned to the lessor by French forwarder Geodis, and it will mark FTL's entry into the full-freighter market.
Key takeaways
This week shows ACMI demand extending well past the summer peak. SundAir and flyplus are both filling October schedules with other airlines' narrowbodies, while lessors such as ACG are committing to new A320neo Family aircraft years in advance because delivery slots are scarce. Lufthansa's move on TAP adds to European consolidation that could reshape wet-lease buying in Portugal and on South Atlantic routes. In cargo, returned freighters are still finding new operators. Capacity buyers should lock in winter and early summer 2027 ACMI terms early, and check AOC, approval and return conditions before signing.
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