DUBAI: Cash-rich Asian and Middle Eastern lenders are taking a larger share of the $100 billion global aircraft financing market as Western rivals step back due to the liquidity crunch and stricter regulations, a top executive at Airbus said.
European commercial banks, previously the primary funding source for airlines, have substantially cut their exposure to the aviation sector after the continent's debt crisis, leaving a funding gap for fast-growing airlines in emerging markets, said Francois Collet, vice president for structured finance at Airbus.