The FINANCIAL -- GE Capital Aviation Services Limited, the commercial aircraft leasing and financing arm of GE, announced today that it has delivered a new leased ATR 72-600 aircraft to Azul Linhas Aéreas Brasileiras S/A as part of a purchase and leaseback transaction.

The aircraft is the first of five new ATR72-600s GECAS will lease to Azul to expand the airline’s fleet. As the General Electric Company reported, these aircraft come from Azul’s existing orderbook with ATR. The remaining four deliveries are scheduled through April 2013.

Further, GECAS is leasing three aircraft from GECAS’ existing orderbook with ATR to Trip.

“Azul and Trip are very fast growing airlines in the region and need aircraft to keep pace with that growth. We are doing more than simply financing this transaction; we’re helping our customer build their fleet,” said Gilberto Peralta, GECAS senior vice president and region manager for Latin America and the Caribbean.

“GECAS has a historically important presence in the Brazilian market and the partnership with Azul has been of great value to our business,” said John Rodgerson, Azul’s CFO.

Azul operates a fleet of some 57 aircraft while Trip operates 58 aircraft. The two airlines announced plans to merge in May and await final regulatory approval. Combined, the two reach almost 100 destinations in Brazil.

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