Air Berlin PLC and ICBC Financial Leasing Co. Ltd. signed a Package Deal for 18 Aircraft

The first Chinese financial leasing company established by a commercial bank – ICBC Financial Leasing Co. Ltd. and Air Berlin PLC signed a package deal for 18 aircraft – covering used and new narrowbody aircraft, all equipped with CFM engines. The total deal size is approximately USD 700 million.

This benchmark transaction consists of two parts: an outright sale of four Boeing B737-800 and six Airbus A320-200 and sale-and-lease-back of two Airbus A319-100, two A320-200 and four Boeing 737-800 aircraft. Having closed par- tially in September 2010, both companies are looking forward to the execution of the majority of these transactions in 2011 and 2012.

“As a young Chinese leasing company, ICBC Leasing is excited to enter into such a huge transaction and have airberlin as our latest major client. Already being successful in launching international businesses since 2009, we have been expanding our portfolio and will continue to grow our presence in global market. We hope to solicit more big and prestigious aviation names such as airberlin into our customer list,” Johnny Lau, Managing Director and Global Head – Aviation Finance of ICBC Leasing proclaimed.

“We are pleased to announce this important transaction for airberlin which is further enhancing airberlin’s financing portfolio by tapping the Chinese finan- cial market. It creates a solid and trustful basis for additional future business between the two companies and we are looking forward to develop it,” commented Ulf Hüttmeyer, CFO Air Berlin PLC.

About ICBC Leasing ICBC Financial Leasing is a wholly owned subsidiary of Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, and the first in the financial industry to have attained China Banking Regulatory Commission (“CBRC”) authorisation to operate as a bank-backed leasing institution in China. ICBC Leasing focuses in three business lines – aviation, shipping and large-ticket equipment. Before its 3rd anni- versary, ICBC Leasing became a pioneer and market leader in the financial leasing industry since inception in November 2007. With the strong cooperation with business partners, ICBC Leasing forges ahead with a global vision, to build on a market-oriented culture, and to offer innovative, tailor-made solutions and professional services, maintaining leadership in the domestic market as well as being a world class international financial leasing company. ICBC Leasing won consecutive Airfinance Asia Pacific Deal of the Year Award in 2008 and 2009.

About airberlin airberlin is Germany’s second largest airline. The company currently has over 8,700 employees. In 2009 alone airberlin received more than 10 awards for service and quality. The fleet, with NIKI, encompasses 169 aircraft with an average age of five years. Consequently airberlin operates one of the youngest fleets in Europe. The airline’s modern aircraft are extremely fuel-efficient and so provide a lasting contribution to the reduction of aviation emissions. airberlin is one of the major airlines in Europe and currently flies to 168 destinations in 40 countries (incl. NIKI). In 2009 the airline carried around 28 million passengers. airberlin has decided to join the global airline alliance oneworld®. Full membership is planned for the start of 2012. Since November 2010 airberlin has been operating codeshare flights with American Airlines and Finnair.

Press Contact:
Yasmin Born
Deputy Director Corporate Communications
phone: + 49 30 3434 1500
fax: + 49 30 3434 1509
e-mail: abpresse@airberlin.com