Estonia’s Marabu to Damp Lease Two A320s for Summer 2025 Season
Estonia’s leisure airline, Marabu, has announced plans to damp lease two Airbus A320 aircraft from Bul Air for the upcoming 2025 summer season. The aircraft will be stationed at two popular European destinations, Irakleion on the Greek island of Crete, and Palma de Mallorca in Spain, as part of the airline’s expanded network for the season.
The damp-leased A320s will operate a variety of routes from both bases. From Irakleion, the aircraft will serve flights to Hamburg, Leipzig/Halle, Friedrichshafen, and Münster/Osnabrück. Meanwhile, the Palma de Mallorca-based A320s will operate routes to Cologne/Bonn, Dortmund, Münster/Osnabrück, and Friedrichshafen. However, Marabu has not disclosed the specific start date for these additional aircraft operations.
This damp lease agreement follows Marabu’s wet lease of one A320-200 from Bul Air during the 2024 summer season. The Estonian carrier’s collaboration with Bul Air highlights its strategy to expand flight offerings during the busy summer period while managing fleet growth effectively.
Marabu’s fleet expansion plan is set to continue with ambitious goals for the coming years. In early 2024, the airline’s CEO, Axel Schefe, revealed the carrier’s intention to double its fleet by 2026. The growth strategy involves adding four to five aircraft to Marabu’s in-house fleet annually, complemented by maintaining a stable commitment to wet-lease arrangements, which will remain around five aircraft during the summer season.
As of now, Marabu operates a fleet of eight A320-200Ns. In contrast, Bul Air operates a varied fleet, including nine Boeing 737-300s, four Airbus A319-100s, and one A320-200. The parent company of Bul Air, Bulgaria Air, operates a fleet that consists of one A319-100, five A320-200s, two A220-100s, five A220-300s, and four Embraer E190s.
Marabu’s decision to damp lease additional aircraft is a strategic move to increase capacity and meet the rising demand for leisure travel in Europe. By partnering with Bul Air, Marabu gains the flexibility to expand its network with minimal capital expenditure, ensuring that it can offer more routes during the peak summer season.
The damp lease arrangement reflects Marabu’s ability to adapt to market demands and expand its network without committing to the long-term financial obligations that come with purchasing new aircraft. This approach is expected to play a key role in the carrier’s plans to grow its fleet while maintaining operational efficiency.
With plans to continue its expansion into 2026, Marabu is positioning itself to become a key player in the European leisure travel market, capitalizing on the growing demand for affordable, high-quality air travel options for holidaymakers. The airline’s continued focus on fleet growth and strategic partnerships, such as the damp lease with Bul Air, will be crucial to its success in the competitive European aviation landscape.
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Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, ch-aviation.com