PIA issues dry-lease RFP for eight narrowbodies

PIA – Pakistan International Airlines (PK, Islamabad Quaid-e-Azam Int’l) has announced a request for proposals (RFP) for the dry-lease of up to eight narrowbody aircraft with deliveries scheduled between January and December 2021. According to tender documentation, the state-owned carrier is seeking aircraft manufactured in 2012 or later which seat over 170 passengers in a single-class configuration (with a “soft divider” separating premium and economy classes). It intends to lease the aircraft for six years or until their first 12-year maintenance check, whichever falls earlier for each aircraft. PIA also wants to secure the right to extend the leases beyond the original contracted term. According to listed technical evaluation criteria, the airline will assess bids based on the vintage of the aircraft (with a high scoring premium on units manufactured in 2018 or later), delivery schedule (with a preference for deliveries in the second half of 2021), sistership offered, in-flight connectivity equipment, as well as other equipment onboard including both cabin amenities and avionics. The airline said it would prefer to lease the engines on a power-by-the-hour basis and will award premium scores for aircraft fresh off their 6-yearly checks. Bidders have until January 11, 2021, to submit their proposals to the carrier. According to the ch-aviation fleets advanced module, PIA’s current narrowbody fleet encompasses eleven A320-200s, which are 14.3 years old on average. All eleven are dry-leased from lessors such as ALAFCO, Aergo Capital, and GECAS.