ABL Aviation
ABL Aviation is a privately held aircraft investment manager that leases midlife commercial aircraft (5-20 years old) to global airlines, having deployed over $7 billion across 116 aircraft transactions since 2014, with offices in six cities.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What ABL Aviation does
ABL Aviation is a privately held aircraft investment manager and lessor founded in 2014 by Ali Ben Lmadani and headquartered in New York. The firm acquires and leases midlife commercial aircraft (5-20 years old) to airline customers across Asia, the United States, Europe, and Africa, and has deployed more than US$7 billion in capital across 116 aircraft transactions since inception. Its customer base spans large network carriers such as Delta Air Lines and Air France alongside emerging-market operators including Ethiopian Airlines and Pegasus Airlines. The company maintains offices in New York, Dublin, Casablanca, Hong Kong, Tokyo, and Dubai to originate and manage relationships globally.
ABL Aviation's core offering is aircraft leasing services, structured as individually negotiated, capital-intensive transactions with airline counterparties. The platform targets an underserved segment of the market where supply-chain constraints at Boeing and Airbus have created sustained demand for midlife fleet solutions. Beyond leasing, the company has expanded into Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) services and adjacent aviation asset classes to broaden its revenue base. Its stated strategic goal is to scale the portfolio to 400 aircraft under management by 2030, more than tripling the current fleet. The 2024 closing of a $270 million financing facility with Swissport provides the capital base to support that trajectory.
The revenue model is transaction-driven and asset-based: ABL Aviation generates earnings from lease payments and ancillary services tied to its aircraft portfolio, with pricing negotiated bilaterally based on aircraft type, age, lease tenor, and customer credit. Go-to-market is direct enterprise sales through the firm's six global offices, supplemented by participation in aviation industry events. Leadership is concentrated under founder and CEO Ali Ben Lmadani, with commercial leadership from CCO Michael Weiss and technical leadership from CTO Anas Bounahmidi. Ownership remains founder-controlled with no disclosed institutional equity backing.
ABL Aviation firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- ABL Aviation
- Legal name
- ABL Aviation
- Website
- https://ablaviation.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- ABL Aviation is a privately held aircraft investment manager that leases midlife commercial aircraft (5-20 years old) to global airlines, having deployed over $7 billion across 116 aircraft transactions since 2014, with offices in six cities.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
ABL Aviation industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Aircraft Leasing
- akta.pro primary industry
- Aviation & Aerospace Reinsurance (FSAOADAB)
Keywords
Where ABL Aviation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices6 records
Markets served
ABL Aviation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Aircraft Leasing: ABL Aviation generates revenue through aircraft leasing arrangements with airline customers, deploying capital to acquire and lease midlife aircraft (5-20 years old) to carriers globally.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels1 record
ABL Aviation product offering
Product offeringCore offering
ABL Aviation is an aircraft leasing and investment management firm that acquires and leases commercial aircraft—primarily midlife aircraft aged 5–20 years—to airline carriers across Asia, the US, Europe, and Africa. The firm deploys capital into large-scale aircraft transactions, manages a portfolio of leased assets, and has expanded into MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul) services and other adjacent aviation asset classes.
Product overview
ABL Aviation is an aircraft leasing firm offering leasing services for commercial aircraft. The company provides leasing across the midlife aircraft segment (aircraft aged 5-20 years), has expanded into MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul) services and other asset classes, and offers financing deals. The company aims to reach 400 aircraft under management by 2030.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Aircraft Leasing Services
- MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul) Services
- Aircraft Asset Management
Companies that use ABL Aviation
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
ABL Aviation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
ABL Aviation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators4 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
ABL Aviation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Avolon: Ireland-based global aircraft lessor with a large commercial fleet. Comparable to ABL Aviation in serving major airlines across geographies and competing for midlife and newer aircraft placements.
- Air Lease Corporation: Publicly traded aircraft lessor focused on leasing new and midlife commercial aircraft to airlines worldwide. Comparable to ABL Aviation in business model and customer base (commercial airlines), with a stronger tilt to younger aircraft.
- BBAM Aircraft Management: Aircraft investment manager and lessor with a multi-billion-dollar managed fleet. Directly comparable to ABL Aviation in acting as an intermediary deploying investor capital into leased commercial aircraft.
- SMBC Aviation Capital: Top-3 global aircraft lessor, majority-owned by Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, with a diversified commercial aircraft portfolio across geographies. Directly comparable to ABL Aviation in deploying large-scale capital into leased commercial aircraft.
- Falko Regional Aircraft: Specialist lessor focused on regional jets and turboprops, many of which fall into the midlife 5–20-year band. Comparable to ABL Aviation in midlife/regional focus and exposure to smaller and emerging-market airlines.
- CDB Aviation: Ireland-based aircraft lessor backed by China Development Bank, with a global portfolio. Directly comparable to ABL Aviation as a commercial aircraft lessor serving airlines across multiple regions.
- BOC Aviation: Asia-based, Singapore-listed aircraft lessor with a global customer base. Closely comparable to ABL Aviation in business model and international airline client base.
- Nordic Aviation Capital: Specialist lessor of regional and midlife turboprop and jet aircraft, focused on smaller carriers. Comparable to ABL Aviation in its emphasis on midlife/regional aircraft and exposure to a mix of developed and emerging-market airlines.
- AerCap Holdings: The world's largest aircraft lessor by fleet value, operating a global portfolio across commercial aircraft. Directly comparable to ABL Aviation as a capital-intensive lessor serving international airlines, though materially larger and publicly traded.
Emerging players
- Voyager Aviation Holdings: Smaller aircraft leasing platform with a commercial fleet serving global airlines. Comparable to ABL Aviation as a mid-sized leasing peer, though with a narrower asset focus and less geographic spread.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
ABL Aviation social profiles
Digital presenceABL Aviation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
ABL Aviation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
ABL Aviation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
ABL Aviation M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about ABL Aviation
What does ABL Aviation do?
ABL Aviation is an aircraft leasing and investment management firm that acquires and leases commercial aircraft—primarily midlife aircraft aged 5–20 years—to airline carriers across Asia, the US, Europe, and Africa. The firm deploys capital into large-scale aircraft transactions, manages a portfolio of leased assets, and has expanded into MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul) services and other adjacent aviation asset classes.
Is ABL Aviation a public or private company?
ABL Aviation is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was ABL Aviation founded?
ABL Aviation was founded in 2014. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is ABL Aviation based?
ABL Aviation is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does ABL Aviation make money?
One revenue line is on record: aircraft Leasing.
Who are ABL Aviation's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Avolon, Air Lease Corporation, BBAM Aircraft Management, SMBC Aviation Capital, Falko Regional Aircraft, CDB Aviation, BOC Aviation, Nordic Aviation Capital and AerCap Holdings. Voyager Aviation Holdings is listed as an emerging player.
Does ABL Aviation have an API?
No public API is recorded for ABL Aviation.
What industry is ABL Aviation in?
ABL Aviation's product category is Aircraft Leasing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAOADAB, Aviation & Aerospace Reinsurance.