Air Lease cancels 7 A350 freighters, A350 freighter tally now at 66

According to Airbus’s latest orders and deliveries data as of 30 June 2025, the European aircraft manufacturer has received 18 gross orders for the A350 freighter this year. After accounting for seven cancellations, primarily involving U.S.-based lessor Air Lease, the net orders for 2025 stand at 11.

Taiwanese carrier Starlux placed an order for 5 A350 freighters in January this year. Additionally, 3 units were ordered by an undisclosed customer during the same month, bringing the total gross order to 18 aircraft.

Cumulatively, Airbus has secured a total of 66 net orders for the A350 freighter since the programme’s launch, reflecting growing interest in its next-generation widebody cargo aircraft across multiple years.

In a statement to The STAT Trade Times, Airbus declined to comment on Air Lease’s business strategy or the reasons behind the cancellations. However, the manufacturer confirmed that following the Air Lease cancellations, the Airbus A350F order book now stands at 66 aircraft. It also noted, “Airbus won the single biggest order for the A350F during the 2025 Paris Air Show from AviLease, taking the total order to 73 A350Fs at that time.”

In June, Airbus secured an order for 10 A350 freighters from AviLease, a Saudi Arabia-based aircraft lessor. The announcement was made during the 2025 Paris Air Show, where AviLease also revealed its intention to expand the order to a total of 22 A350Fs.

Air Lease became the launch lessor of the Airbus A350 freighter when it signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) with Airbus for 7 aircraft at the Dubai Airshow in 2021.

“Air Lease remains a major Airbus customer with nearly 500 orders placed covering all Airbus families from the A220 to the A350. Air Lease has a backlog of around 170 Airbus aircraft,” Airbus added.

Notably, during the 2025 Paris Air Show, Istanbul-based MNG Airlines also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for 2 Airbus A350 freighters with Airbus.

In its second-quarter 2025 update on aircraft investments, sales, and operations, Air Lease reported that as of June 30, 2025, its fleet comprised 495 owned aircraft and 53 managed aircraft. The company also has 241 new aircraft on order from Airbus and Boeing, scheduled for delivery through 2031.

The company also sold 4 aircraft to third-party buyers, generating approximately $126 million in sales proceeds for the quarter.

Air Lease delivered 12 new aircraft from its orderbook during the quarter, including 6 Airbus A220s, 1 A321neo, 2 Boeing 737-8s, 1 Boeing 787-9, and 2 Boeing 787-10s. Aircraft investments totaled approximately $890 million, with the majority occurring in the second half of the quarter.

The A350F is expected to enter service in the second half of 2027, while its rival, the Boeing 777-8F, is scheduled to follow in 2028 with a current order book of 59 aircraft.

European aircraft manufacturer has recently completed the first-ever set of wings for the new A350F.