Operating lessors: Chinese closing on the Big Two — October 2018

The “Big Two” lessors — GECAS and AerCap —  still dominate the operating lease market, according to Aviation Strategy’s annual survey of lessors with a portfolio of more than 100 owned or managed jet aircraft (see table).

However, as they have done for the last few years, the Big Two are sticking to a strategy of trimming their portfolios (each losing 50 aircraft over the last 12 months), and as a result the chasing pack — led by the Chinese-controlled operators -gets closer and closer each year.