Dec 15, 2017   SOURCE: BusinessWire

CDB Aviation Delivers First of Two New A321-200 Aircraft to Finnair

CDB Aviation Lease Finance DAC (“CDB Aviation”), a wholly owned Irish subsidiary of China Development Bank Financial Leasing Co., Limited (“CDB Leasing”), announced today the delivery of the first of two new Airbus A321-200 aircraft on long-term lease to the flag carrier and largest airline of Finland, Finnair (HEX:FIA1S). The aircraft are part of the carrier’s fleet growth plans and are expected to support the increase in capacity in feeder traffic to support the previously announced expansion in long-haul capacity.

"We are very pleased to welcome Finnair to the growing base of CDB Aviation’s European customers,” said CDB Aviation Chief Commercial Officer Patrick Hannigan. “We look forward to working with Finnair to further optimize their fleet and support their ongoing fleet renewal plans through our long-term partnership.”

Configured with 209 seats, the first aircraft will support the need for increasing the airline’s route capacity during the winter season 2017/2018, with the second aircraft being planned for delivery to support the summer season of 2018.

“Finnair is undergoing the fastest growth phase of its history, and the new A321-200 will support our growing feeder traffic to and from our Helsinki hub,” said Riku Aho, Vice President of Fleet Management at Finnair. “Finnair is very pleased to introduce CDB Aviation as our new lessor partner.”

About Finnair

Finnair flies between Asia, Europe and North America with an emphasis on fast connections via Helsinki, carrying more than ten million passengers annually. In 2017, Finnair's extensive network connects 19 cities in Asia and 7 cities in North America with over 100 destinations in Europe. The airline, a pioneer in sustainable flying, was the first European airline to fly the next-generation, eco-smart Airbus A350 XWB aircraft and it is the first airline listed in the Leadership Index of the worldwide Carbon Disclosure Project. The only Nordic carrier with a 4-star Skytrax ranking, Finnair has also won the World Airline Award for Best Airline Northern Europe for the past seven years running. Finnair is a member of oneworld, the alliance of the world's leading airlines committed to providing the highest level of service and convenience to frequent international travelers.

About CDB Aviation

CDB Aviation Lease Finance DAC (“CDB Aviation”) is a wholly owned Irish subsidiary of China Development Bank Financial Leasing Co., Limited (“CDB Leasing”) a 33-year-old Chinese leasing company that is backed mainly by the China Development Bank. China Development Bank is under the direct jurisdiction of the State Council of China and is the world’s largest development finance institution. It is also the largest Chinese bank for foreign investment and financing cooperation, long-term lending and bond issuance, enjoying Chinese sovereign credit rating. www.cdbaviation.aero

CDB Leasing is the only leasing arm of the China Development Bank and a leading company in China’s leasing industry that has been engaged in aircraft, infrastructure, ship, commercial vehicle and construction machinery leasing and enjoys a Chinese sovereign credit rating. It took an important step in July 2016 to globalize and marketize its business – listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEX STOCK CODE: 1606).