GECAS inked a letter of intent at the Paris Air Show to lease nine Airbus A220-300 aircraft to David Neeleman's latest startup airline, codenamed "Moxy," which will be based in the U.S. and aims to connect secondary airports. Deliveries are scheduled in 2021 and 2022. 

“With a low cost of operation and spacious cabin, the A220 will allow us to provide passengers with lower fares and a high-quality, comfortable flying experience," Neeleman said, adding that the A220’s ability to operate profitably in thin, underserved markets across a broad spectrum of ranges is “unique.”

GECAS CCO Declan Kelly said the lessor is “exceptionally pleased to be a partner in David Neeleman’s vision and excited to welcome ‘Moxy’ as a new customer of GECAS.” He said the A220-300, a new type in the lessor’s fleet, is “suited to serve smaller markets by providing the range needed for point-to-point operations with the right economics.”

David Neeleman was founder of JetBlue and Brazil's Azul.