The market for widebodies is not as strong as for narrowbodies with lease rentals remaining under pressure as a result of higher fuel prices and weaker yields. Leasing the widebodies on a vanilla operating lease poses more risk for the lessor. While the returns can be higher and more certain when leasing to the "flag carriers" for the first lease, there is far greater uncertainty when seeking to place the aircraft after the expiration of the first lease - as the experience of the A380 demonstrates all too clearly. Leasing a used widebody after the first lease requires considerably more planning than for a narrowbody because of the reconfiguration and lesser pool of potential lessees. The time required to reconfigure a used widebody has been increasing - as has the cost. The maintenance costs associated with a widebody are that much higher and slots at MROs for engine and airframe maintenance less available. At least a year may be needed between planning for an interior change and placement with the new operator due to the bottleneck that exists with interior manufacturers. A relatively high proportion of widebody operators prefer to lease a new aircraft for 10-12 years and then replace it with a new aircraft. Other operators may simply prefer to retain their aircraft for 15 or more years before opting for a new type which means that they have little appetite for used aircraft.
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