China’s Xiamen Airlines has issued a request for proposals from lessors to finance four new Boeing 737 Max 8s due for this year through to the first quarter of 2024. Lessors should have completed financing deals – including sale-and-leasebacks – within the last five years for China Southern Airlines, Air China, China Eastern Airlines or Xiamen Airlines, or have a fleet size of at least 10 aircraft, states the company in a 28 August announcement. Interested participants may contact the company for RFP documents and submit them before 4 September. Xiamen Airlines has 162 aircraft in service and storage, including 10 737 Max 8s in service, according to fleets data. It also has 25 737 Max 8s on order, with three expected to be delivered this year, and the remaining in 2024.

Thai Airways has put up for sale six used A380s that have been grounded since 2020 in “as-is, where-is” conditions. All six aircraft – HS-TUA, HS-TUB, HS-TUC, HS-TUD, HS-TUE and HS-TUF – are fitted with Rolls-Royce Trent 970-84 engines and were delivered between September 2012 and November 2013, according to the carrier's aircraft trading platform. The first four examples – HS-TUA, HS-TUB, HS-TUC, HS-TUD – are located at Suvarnabhumi International airport in Bangkok. They have between 31,188 and 32,880 flight hours each, and last underwent a C-check in 2019. The other two – HS-TUE and HS-TUF – are located at U-Tapao International airport. HS-TUE and HS-TUF have flown 30,645 and 29,639 hours, respectively, and underwent a C-check in 2017. Interested participants are required to submit a proposal and a bidding deposit of $50,000 by 12 September, as per a letter of invitation seen. Documents in the proposal include the company's profile, constitutional documents, corporate approval documents, a non-disclosure agreement, confirmation that it has no transaction with persons under sanction and proof of a reliable source of funds. The proposal should also indicate the amount it intends to pay as deposit, which should be no less than 20% of the purchase price. Thai Airways states that the deposit should be paid within five business days after the bidder and the company enter into a sales and purchase agreement, while the remaining amount shall be paid no later than the delivery date as stipulated in the agreement. In addition to the bidding deposit, the carrier says it reserves a right to charge $5,000 per aircraft as part of inspection preparation cost. The sale is being conducted under Thailand’s bankruptcy court’s order, and will be subject to final approval of Thai’s plan administrator. The carrier adds that it has the absolute right to accept or reject any proposal without giving a reason. In November, the carrier’s chairman of the plan administrators Piyasvasti Amranand had indicated that the airline was looking at the A380s to serve popular long-haul destinations.

Airbus has made the first delivery to a South American carrier of an aircraft assembled at its US factory in Mobile, Alabama.. JetSmart, the A320neo's recipient, disclosed the delivery on 24 August. The airline – which operates in Chile, Argentina, Peru, Colombia, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay, and is part of the Indigo Partners stable – now has a fleet of 26 aircraft. The new A320neo will be the first aircraft JetSmart bases in Colombia once authorised to operate domestic flights in that country, says the carrier. Schedules data shows that JetSmart operates two international routes connecting Colombia with Chile. "The arrival of this aircraft brings us closer to our goal of 100 aircraft and also to 100 million passengers transported by 2028," states JetSmart chief executive Estuardo Ortiz. JetSmart has another 105 Airbus narrowbodies on order, data indicates.