Finnair takes delivery of its seventh A350 aircraft and closes a sale and leaseback agreement

Finnair Plc           Stock Exchange Release            29 September 2016 at 4:30 pm EET

Finnair has finalised an arrangement, already announced last year as a memorandum of understanding, by which Finnair sells the Airbus A350 aircraft delivered today, to GE Capital Aviation Services Limited (“GECAS”) and leases back the aircraft for its own operation. The initial lease period is 12 years, and the lease includes extension options.

The arrangement has a positive, non-recurring effect of approximately 40 million euro on Finnair’s operating profit for the third quarter of 2016, including a gain on sale and currency gains on pre-delivery payments and hedges.

As stated previously, a similar agreement is also in place for Finnair’s next A350 aircraft, which will materialise at the time of delivery, currently anticipated in the first quarter of 2017.

Finnair has ordered a total of 19 new A350-900 XWB aircraft from Airbus and has now received seven. According to the currently anticipated delivery schedule, Finnair will have 11 A350 aircraft by the end of 2017 and 19 by the end of 2023.

Disclosures on the financing arrangements for the A350 aircraft will be made as the agreements are finalized. Finnair’s fleet consists of both owned and leased aircraft.

The fleet operated and owned by Finnair is updated on a quarterly basis on the company’s website at www.finnairgroup.com.

Finnair Plc
Communications

Further information:
Finnair communications, tel. +358 9 818 4020, comms(a)finnair.com

Distribution:
Nasdaq Helsinki
Principal media

Finnair is a network airline specialising in passenger and cargo traffic between Asia and Europe. Helsinki’s geographical location gives Finnair a competitive advantage, since the fastest connections between many European destinations and Asian megacities fly over Finland. Finnair’s vision is to offer its passengers a unique Nordic experience, and its mission is to offer the smoothest, fastest connections in the northern hemisphere via Helsinki and the best network to the world from its home markets. Finnair is the only Nordic carrier with a 4-star Skytrax ranking and a member of the oneworld alliance. In 2015, Finnair’s revenues amounted to EUR 2,255 million and it had a personnel of 4,800 at the year-end. Finnair Plc’s shares are quoted on Nasdaq Helsinki.