A new leasing platform takes off: Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE) is teaming up with Blackstone Credit and Ins. (BXCI) to launch Equator, an aircraft leasing investment platform targeting around USD 1.6 bn in annual deployments.

How does it work? DAE will source aircraft from third parties and manage them through its Aircraft Investor Services arm, while BXCI — with more than USD 100 bn under management — will provide the institutional capital backing Equator, including from ITE Management.

Equator lands mid-expansion: DAE agreed in February to acquire Macquarie AirFinance — lifting its combined fleet to around 1k aircraft and adding 37 airline customers. That followed its USD 2 bn takeover of Nordic Aviation Capital in May 2025, which added 252 aircraft.

Can war-driven fuel costs accelerate fleet renewal?

Airlines are facing higher fuel costs as the conflict pushes prices up. Airbus Executive Vice President Wouter van Wersch said last week that if fuel prices rise, airlines have more incentive to buy the newest aircraft — underlining how fuel economics are now pushing carriers toward more efficient jets, even while delivery constraints keep the transition slow.

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