ACMI and wet lease capacity for airlines and operators
Wet lease cargo aircraft to cover a fleet gap
Submit a requirement any time — no account needed · first response usually within 60 minutes · 24/7 for AOG and time-critical. Optional: business account for status tracking
A wet lease bridges a gap: an aircraft in heavy maintenance, a delayed delivery or a peak your own fleet cannot cover. The lessor supplies aircraft and crew, usually for weeks rather than years. In a damp lease the lessee provides part of the crew, typically cabin or loadmaster staff. CCN finds operators who can step in.
Capacity desk
Block hours, start date and positioning priced as one package.
CCN is an independent broker and operates no aircraft. Each mission is placed with a regulated operator after comparing several options. How independent brokerage works.
What CCN handles on a short-notice wet lease
- Finding operators with a compatible type available for your dates
- Matching payload, range and main-deck configuration to your schedule
- Agreeing wet or damp terms and which crew positions you provide
- Clarifying flight numbers, traffic rights and the operating carrier
- Arranging positioning to your base and return at the end
For programmes of several months see ACMI leasing for freighters.
Seasonal demand is covered under capacity and peaks.
When a wet lease is the right choice — and when it is not
A good fit when
- — An own aircraft is out of service for a known period
- — A peak lasts weeks and justifies a dedicated aircraft
- — Your schedule and flight numbers must keep running
Usually not the right choice when
- — Only a few flights are affected — ad-hoc charters may be enough
- — The gap will last a year or longer — a full ACMI or dry lease fits better
- — No traffic rights exist for the lessor on your routes
Single replacement flights can be booked as a cargo charter.
Terms are compared in wet lease, dry lease and ACMI explained.
What the desk needs for a wet lease request
- 01Aircraft type you are replacing and acceptable alternatives
- 02Start date, end date and how firm both are
- 03Base, routes and planned block hours
- 04Wet or damp — which crew positions you can supply
- 05Who provides fuel, handling and fees
Typical types for a cargo wet lease (indicative)
The replacement normally matches your own type class so that loading systems, ULDs and schedules still fit.
- Boeing 737-800BCFPayload: 21,450 kgMain deck door: 3.40 m × 2.16 m (side)
- Airbus A321P2FPayload: up to 28,100 kg
- Boeing 767-300FPayload: 53,977–54,884 kg (by engine)Main deck door: 3.40 m × 2.54 m (side)
- Boeing 747-400FPayload: 112,900 kg (747-8F: ≈ 134,000 kg — indicative value, not manufacturer-verified)Main deck side door: 3.4 m wide × 3.1 m high (clear opening)
Indicative — depends on route, fuel, density and operator. CCN operates no aircraft; types shown are examples operators offer, not a fleet.
Limits to check before a wet lease
- Regulatory approval of the lease by your and the lessor's authority
- Crew familiarity with your airports and procedures
- ULD and loading system compatibility
- Minimum lease period and hours set by the lessor
From fleet gap to replacement aircraft
- 01You describe the gap: type, dates, routes and hours.
- 02The desk checks operators with compatible aircraft and dates.
- 03You compare offers and approve one; the lease is filed with the authorities.
- 04The aircraft positions to your base and enters your schedule.
What a wet lease offer contains
- Aircraft type, operator and registration where already allocated
- Routing, technical stops and planned timings (local times)
- Usable payload and volume for your cargo on this routing
- Price basis (per flight, per block hour or per rotation), currency and validity
- Inclusions and exclusions — handling, fuel, permits, insurance, positioning
- Subject-to conditions: availability at signature, permits, slots, operator acceptance
- Lease period, minimum hours and extension options
- Crew positions supplied by the lessor and by you
Questions
Frequently asked questions
See all questionsAircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance from the operator. The lessee normally pays fuel, airport and navigation charges, handling and any commercial costs, and sells the capacity in its own name.
Where an aircraft is available and traffic rights exist, a start within a week is realistic. Programmes that need new permits, station approvals or crew visas need more lead time.
A contractual minimum of paid flight hours per month. It protects the operator against low utilisation and is the main lever in wet lease pricing alongside the hourly rate.
Per hour, usually yes, once the aircraft flies regularly. Below the guaranteed hours the effective cost per rotation rises quickly, so short or irregular needs are often better served by charter.
A single rotation is an ad-hoc charter, not a wet lease. We quote both and recommend the structure that fits the flying programme.
