Dublin Leasing Company Places Regional Aircraft with Spanish Carrier
ACIA Aero Leasing, based in Dublin, has delivered an ATR 72-600 aircraft to Spanish airline Air Nostrum under a lease agreement, marking the first transaction between the two companies. The 72-seat aircraft was ferried from Toulouse to Valencia in late September and will join Air Nostrum's existing fleet of regional turboprops. The deal represents ACIA's continued expansion of its customer portfolio across European carriers.
Air Nostrum, operating under the Iberia Group brand, manages a substantial European regional network that includes approximately 80,000 annual flights and serves 5.5 million passengers. The airline's existing fleet comprises 33 Bombardier CRJ-1000 aircraft and nine ATR 72-600 turboprops, making this new addition its tenth ATR aircraft. The delivered plane, registered EC-OXL with construction number 1099, features a 72-seat configuration optimized for regional routes.
This lease agreement represents ACIA Aero Leasing's first transaction with Air Nostrum, signaling the Dublin-based lessor's ongoing strategy to expand relationships with established European regional carriers. The aircraft's delivery from Toulouse to Valencia in late September positions Air Nostrum to enhance its operational capacity and regional service offerings.
This aircraft lease may benefit travelers on European regional routes through potential service improvements and expanded connectivity options. For the broader aviation sector, the transaction could reflect growing demand for regional turboprop capacity across European networks, particularly within established airline groups. The deal demonstrates the continued viability of aircraft leasing as a flexible financing model for regional carriers managing fleet expansion and modernization objectives.