Senegal presents Boeing as new acquisition but records identify a 19-year-old Lithuanian wet lease

Senegal has publicly celebrated a Boeing 737-800 as a government-backed acquisition for its national airline, but aviation records identify the aircraft as a 19-year-old jet leased through a Lithuanian operator.

• Senegal publicly presented a Boeing 737-800 named Gorée as an acquisition supported by the government.
• Aviation records identify it as LY-SEI, a 19-year-old aircraft owned by AerCap and leased through Lithuania’s GetJet Airlines.
• The aircraft had reportedly been operating for Air Sénégal under a wet lease since 30 May.
• Air Sénégal has not published documents showing that ownership was transferred to the national carrier.

President Bassirou Diomaye Faye attended the aircraft’s ceremony at Blaise Diagne International Airport on 7 September and christened it “Gorée”, after the Senegalese island associated with the history of the transatlantic slave trade.

Local reporting described the Boeing as an acquisition secured with decisive support from the Senegalese government.

However, aviation intelligence provider ch-aviation reported on 10 September⁠ that the aircraft is LY-SEI, manufacturer’s serial number 32692.

Its data identify leasing company AerCap as the owner, with the aircraft dry-leased to Lithuania’s GetJet Airlines and wet-leased to Air Sénégal.

Under a wet lease, the supplying airline normally provides the aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance. The customer airline uses the aircraft for its services but does not necessarily own it.

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The aircraft had reportedly been flying for Air Sénégal under that arrangement since 30 May, more than three months before the presidential ceremony.

New to the fleet but not a new aircraft

The Boeing first flew on 19 May 2007, making it approximately 19 years old.

That does not by itself make it unsafe. Commercial aircraft can remain in service for decades when properly maintained and operated under applicable safety rules.

The discrepancy concerns the public description of the transaction, rather than the aircraft’s age alone.

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A report published by Seneweb after the ceremony⁠ repeatedly described the aircraft as an acquisition. It said the jet had been acquired with state support and represented an investment in Senegal’s aviation sovereignty.

The aircraft nevertheless retained its Lithuanian LY registration, while ch-aviation’s fleet records continued to identify AerCap as its owner.

Air Sénégal has not published a purchase agreement, lease amendment, financing contract or registration transfer establishing whether the government recently bought the aircraft after initially leasing it.

Specialist records identify the aircraft as being on a wet lease. However, it would be premature to say that the government falsely claimed ownership or that no transfer has taken place.

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A 174-seat jet with olympic branding

The aircraft has 174 seats, including 12 in business class and 162 in economy.

Before the Dakar ceremony, it travelled from Casablanca wearing new livery promoting the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, scheduled for 31 October to 13 November.

Its paintwork and place in Air Sénégal’s branded fleet may be new, but the aircraft itself is not.

The disclosure also comes as Senegal pursues a broader fleet-renewal plan. Boeing announced in 2025 that Air Sénégal had committed to nine new 737 MAX aircraft, with options for six more.

Those aircraft are separate from the older 737-800 presented as Gorée.

What remains unclear is how much the government paid for the aircraft, whether the arrangement is still a wet lease and why the public presentation described it as an acquisition without explaining the ownership structure.