Aircraft Leasing 

Wet leasing ACMI

ACMI leasing, also known as wet or damp leasing, is an agreement between two airlines whereby the lessor is obliged to provide the lessee with an aircraft, crew, maintenance, and insurance (ACMI) – and in return receives payment per block hour flown.
This type of lease offers the lessee additional or replacement capacity, even for short-term needs. What are the advantages of ACMI leasing?
An ACMI (Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance, Insurance) lease agreement offers airlines flexible and cost-effective solutions to cover temporary capacity requirements and is often concluded for shorter terms, e.g., up to 12 months. ACMI can help ensure flight operations without extensive investment in your own fleet, especially during seasonal peaks or unforeseen incidents.
Advantages and areas of application:

• Overcoming maintenance and delivery delays
  

Regular maintenance can be planned, but unforeseen maintenance delays or unplanned events pose major challenges for the flight schedule. ACMI leasing can step in here to avoid operational disruptions and reduce potential flight cancellations, which is particularly crucial in the event of longer delays.

• Seasonal fluctuations in demand and network expansion
  

Since every region has its peak season and airlines want to expand their route networks, the flexibility of ACMI leasing is particularly valuable. It allows capacities to be adjusted for a few months (usually 2-6 months) without long-term fleet commitments. This allows airlines to test new routes or increase the frequency of existing connections without high acquisition costs.

• Compensating for staff shortages Flight crew shortages can arise due to increasing demand, delays in training, or illness. ACMI not only provides the aircraft, but also a complete crew, thus filling any capacity gaps.
  
• Urgent replacement aircraft in the event of technical defects (AOG) ACMI offers immediate support for short-term needs, e.g., due to technical defects or staff shortages. A replacement aircraft with crew can be provided quickly to maintain flight operations and minimize downtime.
  

ACMI leasing provides airlines with a flexible and reliable solution that enables them to respond effectively to changing market demands and operational uncertainties.
With over 20 years of experience, we arrange dependable ACMI leasing solutions of any size – from single aircraft to ramping up an entire fleet – no requirement is too big or too small. Our industry-spanning expertise gives us an insight into the challenges airlines face over and above other leasing providers.
While our impartial leasing team will always find the most appropriate aircraft for a client’s requirements, we’ve developed a partnership network which gives us direct access to some of the world’s most in-demand airframes, all at a moment’s notice.

Dry Leasing 

At first glance, dry leasing often appears to be less complicated than wet leasing. Depending on the intended use, this can be both an advantage and a disadvantage. Although dry leases offer more flexibility in terms of aircraft operation, they are still subject to the regulations of aviation authorities such as the FAA, compliance with which is binding for both parties.
The main features of a dry lease include:

• The lessor provides the lessee with the aircraft without crew or cabin personnel.
  
• Neither the lessor nor the lessee requires charter certificates unless the aircraft is used for the transport of passengers or goods for remuneration.
  
• The lessee provides its own crew and assumes complete operational control of each flight operation.
  
• Lease payments are not subject to federal excise tax, but sales tax is usually payable.
  

These features also highlight the key advantages of dry leasing: lower acquisition costs. The lessee does not have to pay for additional services such as maintenance, crew, or insurance costs, which reduces ongoing expenses. Dry leasing is therefore quite similar to purchasing an aircraft, but without the high acquisition costs and full administrative burden of owning an aircraft.
Once both parties have signed the dry lease agreement, the lessee assumes full operational control and can use the aircraft in accordance with the terms of the agreement.