Aviation Finance and Aircraft Leasing

Wherever you are in the world, our full suite of aviation advisory, assurance and tax services means we are miles ahead in our ability to make your business fly.

Helping your business take flight

Why is Ireland the leader in aviation?

Aviation and Ireland have a special relationship. The first transatlantic flight landed here in 1919. Since GPA started a leasing business in the 1970s, Ireland's aviation offering has grown considerably; it represents one of Ireland's true economic success stories.

Today, Ireland is the global centre for aviation finance and aircraft leasing.

  • An Irish-leased aircraft takes off every two seconds
  • Over 50 aircraft leasing companies are based in Ireland, including 14 of the world's top 15 lessors
  • Over 60% of all leased aircraft worldwide are managed by Irish-based leasing companies
  • Ireland has a 65% share of the global leasing market
  • Almost 80% of Ireland's double tax treaties deliver a favourable result for aviation finance companies

Work with the world's leading aviation professionals

Navigating the complexities of aviation finance and aircraft leasing takes expertise and experience. The growth of the sector has led to increasingly complex and nuanced stakeholder demands.

Do you have the support you need to pilot the opportunities and traverse the risks presented in the world of aviation finance? And how will your organisation soar ahead of your competitors?

Our dedicated team of aviation experts combine deep professional expertise with unique industry experience. We work with airlines, financiers, lessors, investors, governments, MROs and OEMs. We support high-flying teams from the boardroom to the hangar floor.

Why choose PwC Ireland?

PwC Ireland's aviation finance practice is dedicated to your success. We serve the needs of industry professionals with unparalleled experience and expertise. We bring with us the strength of the global PwC network.

We offer cross-functional advisory, assurance and tax services. Our integrated approach gives our clients peace of mind and guides their businesses toward efficiency, profitability and success.

We have hand-picked our team based on the continued need for market-leading expertise in this ever-growing sector. We are an advisor to Aircraft Leasing Ireland. The addition of the Aviation Finance Advisory practice extends our significant service offering.


The biggest issues in aviation finance

Transaction support

Aviation finance transactions are complex. That complexity increases when they involve cross-border issues.

Our extensive experience and deep industry knowledge can help you address the tax, commercial and financial considerations. Our teams support customers throughout the entire deal cycle.

Recent transactions

Investor guidance

Aviation finance offers investors absolute returns backed by tangible assets, provided you know how to navigate the risks.

Do you have the appropriate operational solutions? How will you navigate the complexity around asset valuations? And how do you keep pace with international tax developments and accounting changes?

Our deep sector-specific expertise helps investors to understand and analyse the latest market trends and keep pace with global developments.

Airline advice

Despite buoyancy in the sector, airlines still face headwinds, including rising costs, increasing competition and the changing regulatory environment. Some of these challenges are familiar, like the uncertainty of fuel prices, securing more funding or anticipating the next industry disruption.

We help airline executives understand the risks and opportunities in a sector that is always changing. Our experts are passionate about helping businesses solve their most pressing strategic, operational and technical issues.

The services we provide help them deal with new market entrants, the complexities of aircraft finance and refinancing and evolving customer expectations.

Technical expertise

In-depth technical knowledge is essential for success in aviation finance. How will you compete for and retain the technical skills and talent that you need? And how will you differentiate your business from your competitors?

Whether you are buying, selling, financing, lending against or operating aircraft, we can help you understand a fleet's current and future value. We can help with valuation methodologies, fly-forward and maintenance cost benchmarking models and commercial due diligence processes.

Digital transformation

Do you have a strategy to stay ahead of the digital revolution? For many operations, it's a challenge to keep up with the pace of change.

How can airlines and lessors leverage technological advances and the power of big data to cut costs, streamline processes and improve service? What are the impacts of FinTech, Blockchain and process automation? And how can you protect against cyber incidents and data breaches that could damage your business?

Our advisory services help our aviation clients embrace digital transformation, driving efficiency and profitability.

Contact us

Brian Leonard

Partner, PwC Ireland (Republic of)

Yvonne Thompson

Partner, PwC Ireland (Republic of)

Ronan Doyle

Partner, PwC Ireland (Republic of)

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