SriLankan Airlines is seeking five second-hand A320 Family aircraft and the same number of A330s for a six-year dry lease. The carrier's Request for Proposals issued on December 19 specifies that the A320s must not be older than 15 years at the time of their planned delivery to SriLankan Airlines. The airline is willing to evaluate A320-200s, A320-200Ns, A321-200s, and A321-200Ns. The aircraft have to be configured in a two-class layout with a separate business class, although SriLankan Airlines did not specify a set number of seats. Tentatively, all five should deliver in 2023, starting in June and concluding in December. While the airline is seeking aircraft on six-year leases, it would also consider offers of a three-year extension of aircraft already in its fleet but due to expire in 2023. The airline estimates that the A320ceo/neo will be used for around 3,850 flight hours and 1,600 flight cycles per aircraft per year, while the A321s are scheduled to operate 4,250 flight hours and 1,500 flight cycles per aircraft per year.<br/>
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Philippine startup MarCoPay will sell Japanese flight and tour packages in a partnership with Japan Airlines as the financial app broadens its offerings for well-paid but underserved merchant ship crews. MarCoPay lets sailors receive their wages and send money home electronically, as well as apply for loans from partner financial institutions. Its app seeks to serve a need among Filipino sailors who typically receive several months' worth of pay in cash at a port of arrival. MarCoPay's tie-up with JAL will help it branch out into travel. The app will offer perks including additional check-in luggage for flights from Manila to Tokyo. Tourism information for smaller Japanese cities also will be provided to offer a wide range of destinations. For JAL, the tie-up aims to bring more travelers to Japan, which fully reopened its border to international visitors in the fall. The Philippines is the world's largest supplier of merchant ship sailors, at over 200,000. Ship crews are in the top 5% of earners in the Southeast Asian country, with captains receiving about $8,000 a month. Though this niche market is attractive, sailors' long absences from home made it difficult for businesses to reach them.<br/>