Damp Lease Explained: When the Airline Supplies Its Own Cabin Crew
A damp lease is a variation of a wet lease. The lessor provides the aircraft, the flight crew (pilots), maintenance and insurance, just as in an ACMI lease. The difference is the cabin: the airline that takes the aircraft supplies some or all of its own cabin crew.
It is sometimes called a "partial wet lease". The name comes from the idea that it is less than fully wet.
Who supplies what
Wet lease (ACMI): the lessor supplies the aircraft, pilots, cabin crew, maintenance and insurance.
Damp lease: the lessor supplies the aircraft, pilots, maintenance and insurance. The airline supplies the cabin crew.
Dry lease: the lessor supplies the aircraft only. The airline supplies everything else.
The aircraft still operates under the lessor's air operator certificate, because the lessor's pilots are flying it and the lessor is responsible for its safety.
For the wider comparison, see our guide to ACMI vs dry lease vs wet lease.
Why airlines choose a damp lease
Brand and service. Passengers meet the airline's own uniforms, language and service style, so the leased aircraft feels like part of the fleet.
Language and market. Cabin crew who speak the passengers' language matter on religious, holiday and regional routes.
Cost. Supplying your own cabin crew can reduce the lease rate, especially if those crew would otherwise be idle.
Keeping staff employed. An airline waiting for its own aircraft can keep its cabin crew flying.
Where it gets complicated
A damp lease sounds simple, but it puts two companies' people on one aircraft under one operator's rules. These are the points to settle before signing.
Type training
Cabin crew must be trained on the specific aircraft type: its doors, slides, emergency equipment and procedures. If the airline's cabin crew fly a different type, they need differences training, approved under the lessor's programme. Budget time for it.
Whose manuals apply
The aircraft flies under the lessor's certificate, so the lessor's operations manual and safety procedures apply in the cabin. The airline's cabin crew must follow them, even where they differ from what they are used to. This needs to be written into the contract and understood by the crew.
Authority approval
Some aviation authorities must approve the arrangement, particularly when the cabin crew hold licences or attestations from a different country. Check the rules of the lessor's authority and the country where the aircraft will operate.
Language on board
Safety instructions must be given in a language the whole crew understands. Mixed crews need a common working language, usually English.
Duty times and rest
The two crews may have different duty time rules and rosters. The lessor must make sure the whole crew complies with the rules of its certificate.
What it costs
A damp lease is priced like an ACMI lease: an hourly rate with a monthly minimum. The rate is lower than a full wet lease because the lessor is not supplying cabin crew, but the saving is smaller than many airlines expect, since pilots, maintenance and insurance are the largest costs. The airline also carries the cost of training, accommodation and allowances for its own cabin crew.
When a damp lease is the right choice
It works best when:
The airline has trained cabin crew available
The lease is long enough to justify the training effort
Brand and passenger experience matter to the route
For a short seasonal lease, a full wet lease is usually simpler.
Getting started
Jetvice arranges wet, damp and dry leases with operators for passenger and cargo aircraft. Tell us the aircraft size, the term and whether you want to supply cabin crew, and we will check which operators can accommodate it. Email info@jetvice.net or see our aircraft leasing page.
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