Accipiter Holdings confirmed it signed a purchase agreement with Airbus for the 20 A320neos with conversion rights to upgrade to the larger A321neo. Deliveries will take place in 2024 and 2025. The Dublin-based lessor, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hong Kong’s CK Asset Holdings, has not yet decided on the engines, Accipiter CEO Paul Sheridan said. This transaction marks Accipiter’s first direct purchase from an aircraft manufacturer.

The conversion rights do not include an upgrade to the newly launched A321XLR, Sheridan told AIN. The transaction was concluded in March when the new 4,700-nm derivative was not yet launched, he explained. Accipiter, however, would consider adding the XLR to its growing portfolio. “It is definitely an interesting aircraft,” he said.

Together with Vermillion, its joint venture with Mitsubishi Corp. subsidiary MC Aviation Partners (MCAP), Accipiter manages a total portfolio of just under 150 owned and committed aircraft.