AerCap CEO doesn't expect U.S. election to hit aviation industry

BERLIN, Nov 8 (Reuters) - Aircraft leasing giant AerCap does not believe the result of the U.S. presidential election will disrupt growth for the aviation industry, given the resilience of travel demand to other shocks in recent years, its CEO said on Tuesday.

"What we do know is that over last two 1/2 years, we've faced an awful lot of global shocks - Ebola, Zika, the downturn in Brazil, the attempted coup in Turkey, Brexit," CEO Aengus Kelly told journalists after Ireland (Other OTC: IRLD - news) -based AerCap reported third-quarter results.

"So long as a commitment to free trade is preserved, I think economies will grow and this company will grow with it," he said.

Kelly said AerCap, the world's largest independent aircraft leasing company, was seeing "a significant uptick in demand" for used aircraft as airlines seek to make better use of their capital and improve shareholder returns.

Both Lufthansa and British Airways owner IAG have expressed more interest in used planes of late to keep capital expenditure down.

Kelly said prices were not falling for popular planes such as the A320 and the 737, the workhorses of short-haul routes. Demand for new planes remains good, he added, saying AerCap had sold out of new planes for delivery until 2019.

Kelly also reiterated concerns over delays to deliveries of A320neo planes with Pratt & Whitney engines.

"It's a programme where there are some issues. The CFM powered-ones we think we will get on time, but we could face further delays on Pratt-powered ones," he said.

Engine maker CFM is a joint venture between GE and Safran (LSE: 0IU8.L - news) . (Reporting by Victoria Bryan; Editing by Mark Potter)