Website www.awas.com Founded 1985 | Headquarters Dublin Type of business Division | |
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Industry Aircraft leasing and sales CEO David N. Siegel (Apr 2016–) | ||
Ansett Worldwide Aviation Services (AWAS) or simply Ansett Worldwide is one of the world's largest commercial jet aircraft leasing companies. Its head office is in Dublin, Ireland, and it has offices in Miami, New York City, and Singapore.
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History
It was Ansett Australia's subsidiary and leasing arm from 1985 until February 2000.
It was sold to an affiliate of Morgan Stanley Dean Witter in 2000 for close to USD$600 million. At the time of sale, AWAS had a leasing portfolio of 105 aircraft valued at USD$4 billion, with 47 airlines. The Ansett name was retained as it was instantly recognisable in the global aviation industry. Under Morgan Stanley ownership the company was renamed simply Ansett Worldwide, the Aviation Services being omitted. The Ansett Worldwide fleet was combined with the Morgan Stanley Aircraft Leasing fleet, resulting in a combined fleet size of 180 aircraft by 2003.
In 2004 Ansett Worldwide was rebranded as AWAS. A company media release issued to coincide with the rebranding stated that the company had outlived its association with a failed airline, hence the dropping of the Ansett name. In the industry it was known that some customers had shown a reluctance to deal with Ansett Worldwide, perceiving that the aircraft available were ex-Ansett Airlines aircraft that had been sitting idle since the airline had ceased operations, despite assurances from the lessor that this was not true.
The wetleasing arm was rebranded Australian Worldwide Aviation Services and sold to QANTAS who were at the time leasing two B767 aircraft based in Sydney Australia.
Morgan Stanley sold AWAS in 2006 to the UK hedge fund Terra Firma with management and operations relocated to Dublin. The AWAS name has to date been retained.
In 2007 AWAS acquired and integrated the Pegasus Aviation Finance Company into its company.
Corporate affairs
AWAS has its head office in Block B of Riverside IV along Sir John Rogerson's Quay in Dublin, Republic of Ireland. Its Miami office is in One Brickell Square in Downtown Miami. Its New York City office is in Suite 203 of 620 at 444 Madison Avenue. The company has an office in Singapore.
Previously its Dublin location was in the City West Business Campus. It also had a London office in the City of Westminster. At a later point the Dublin office was located in Regus House at Harcout Centre. By 2007 the company opened its new Dublin headquarters, Alexandra House, The Sweepstakes, Ballsbridge. At that time it consolidated its London office into its Dublin headquarters.
The company previously had an office in Bellevue, Washington, in Greater Seattle. In 2006 the office had 30 employees in the office. By 2007 it merged into the Miami office.