The prices to lease aircraft since the pandemic have skyrocketed, as supplies of spare planes remain tight, reported CNBC.
Some in-demand aircraft lease rates are now surpassing the levels in 2019.
For example, according to aviation advisory firm IBA Group, the rent on a new Boeing 737 Max increased by more than 20 percent, to $316,000 per month, between April 2020 and July of this year. The price of the rival Airbus A320neo hit $324,000 a month, rising more than 14 percent from the same period a year ago, while its larger cousin, the A321neo, was being rented for $375,000.
The steep rise in costs coincide with the airline industry’s latest struggle with high inflation, resulting in expenses that are normally passed down to passengers….