Emirates agrees to buy six A380s from Lesha Bank

Emirates is to take ownership of six Airbus A380-800 aircraft that it currently operates under lease from Qatar's Lesha Bank. According to AeroTime, Lesha Bank confirmed on 10 November 2026 that it had agreed to sell the aircraft to Emirates, and that two of the sales have already been completed.

How the sale will work

AeroTime reports that the remaining four A380s will be transferred in stages, with the final sale due by April 2028 as each aircraft's lease ends. Jonathan Skirrow, Co-CEO of Lesha Aviation Services, described Emirates as "a long-standing and valued partner", according to the outlet. He said the phased transfer reflected the strength of the relationship with the airline.

Lesha Bank also said the deal reflects its "growing track record in aviation", AeroTime notes. No sale price has been reported.

The aircraft involved

The six jets were leased to Emirates through Amedeo Air Four Plus, which Lesha Bank acquired in June 2026, per AeroTime. The outlet says it is understood that the aircraft are registered A6-EEY, A6-EOB, A6-EOM, A6-EOQ, A6-EOV and A6-EOX, and that all are between 10 and 12 years old.

Citing ch-aviation data, AeroTime says two of the six are currently operating for Emirates, while four are in maintenance. The same data puts Emirates' A380-800 fleet at around 86 aircraft, 31 of them marked as inactive. Amedeo Air Four Plus also leases two Boeing 777-300ERs to Emirates and four Airbus A350-900s to Thai Airways, according to AeroTime.

What this means for travellers

Buying aircraft that were previously leased suggests Emirates plans to keep these A380s in its fleet beyond their lease terms. That is relevant for passengers who prefer the double-decker on routes such as Bangkok to Dubai. The sources do not say which routes the six aircraft will fly, nor whether any schedule or cabin changes are planned. Four of the jets are reportedly in maintenance, so it is not yet clear when they will return to service.

Travellers should continue to check the aircraft type shown when booking, as Emirates assigns aircraft by route and date.

Sources: AeroTime.