Drew S. Fine

Milbank Partners Drew Fine and Alexandra Johnson Discuss Asset Technical Management and Airline Ratings at Airline Economics’ Growth Frontiers Global Conference~~Milbank LLP Transportation and Space partners Drew Fine and Alexandra Johnson will moderate and speak at Airline Economics’ Growth Frontiers Global conference, taking place January 26 –28, 2026 in Dublin, Ireland. On January 26, Ms. Johnson will moderate a panel titled “Asset Technical Management in a Period of New Aircraft Delivery,” with panelists from AVTRAC, Clover Aviation Capital, AvAir, Aeroconsultant and ACC Aviation joining this discussion. Ms. Johnson, Practice Group Leader of the firm’s Transportation and Space Group, focuses on structured finance transactions, international transactions and corporate transactions, including ABS and portfolio securitizations across asset classes, corporate platform formations with dynamic capital structures, CLOs, acquisition financing, mergers and acquisitions, secured lending and restructuring. Her practice includes specialization in transportation and equipment assets, esoteric assets, digital infrastructure and space assets in the capital markets, the bank markets and the alternative lending markets. On January 27, Mr. Fine will be moderating the “Airline Rating Panel” alongside panelists from Moody’s Ratings, Fitch Ratings, KBRA, Egan-Jones Ratings and more. As Chair of Milbank's Transportation and Space Group, Mr. Fine has extensive experience in a range of international financial and corporate transactions, including public offerings and private placement of securities (equipment notes, enhanced equipment trust certificates (EETCs), ABS), acquisitions, loyalty financings, leveraged leasing, secured and unsecured lending, cross-border financings, structured financings, restructurings, workouts and credit enhancements. A team of Milbank Transportation and Space partners, counsel and associates from the firm’s New York, London and Hong Kong offices will be in attendance. The conference is hosted by Airline Economics magazine, the aviation sector’s preeminent finance and leasing global publication for airlines, lessors, investors, banks, law firms and MROs. Click here to learn more about Airline Economics’ 2026 Growth Frontiers Global conference.

Jan 26

1 min

Milbank LLP’s Transportation and Space Group advised PK AirFinance in connection with its inaugural aircraft loan asset-backed securitization, called PK ALIFT LOAN FUNDING 3 Series 2024-1 (“PKAIR 2024-1”). The securitization, which garnered broad participation from capital markets participants, is the first commercial aircraft loan ABS issuance in 2024 and the first AAA-rated aviation ABS public issuance in over 20 years. PKAIR 2024-1 included the issuance of over $622 million of notes (the “Notes”) which were used to acquire the rights to the economics of a portfolio of aviation loans. The Notes are secured by the proceeds of a portfolio of 122 senior-secured aviation loans across 70 narrowbody aircraft, 6 widebody aircraft, 30 freighter aircraft, 7 engines and 9 regional jet aircraft across 52 unique debtors. PK AirFinance is a leading aviation lending platform and affiliate of Apollo (NYSE: APO). The Milbank team was led by New York-based Transportation and Space partners Drew Fine and Joshua Forman along with associates Matt Slider and Nathan Hamill. The deal team also included Alternative Investments partners Sean M. Solis, Brian Troxler and Catherine Leef Martin and Corporate Finance and Securities partner Brett Nadritch, with support from Alternative Investments special counsel Philip Powers and associate Taha Khan and Corporate Finance and Securities associates Abir Varma and Harper Ricks.

Jul 11

1 min

Milbank LLP’s Capital Markets and Transportation and Space teams across Singapore and New York represented the investors on a milestone US$443 million revenue bond issued on August 23, 2024. The revenue bonds comprised US$243 million in Tranche A Bonds and US$200 million in Tranche B Bonds which are cleared through Euroclear/Clearstream. The revenue bonds were issued by a newly incorporated Labuan subsidiary of AirAsia Berhad and secured against, amongst other collateral, the future revenue of AirAsia Berhad received from certain flight routes. The revenue bonds are also guaranteed by AirAsia Berhad and Capital A Berhad (the ultimate parent of AirAsia Berhad). The Tranche A Bonds were issued to a group of six leading aircraft lessors to refinance outstanding lease liabilities owing as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, whilst the new capital received from the issuance of the Tranche B Bonds to the private credit funds will be used to finance the return to service of certain aircraft which have remained grounded since the pandemic. This transaction is not only an integral part of Air Asia Berhad’s ongoing capital restructuring plan, which includes its aim of exiting its current PN17 status, but represents a novel fund-raising structure for an airline in the Asia Pacific market. The Milbank team was led by Corporate Finance and Securities partner Giles Kennedy in Singapore and included partner Terry O’Donnell and associate Andre Seah. The transaction was supported by New York partner Drew Fine and Singapore-based senior associate David Paterson, both members of the firm’s Transportation and Space Group.

Sep 4

1 min

Milbank LLP Transportation and Space partners Drew Fine and Alexandra Johnson will moderate and speak at the Airline Economics Growth Frontiers Americas New York conference on October 17-18, 2024.~~Mr. Fine, who will participate in a Fireside Chat with James Meyler (Orix Aviation), will also be moderating the “Manufacturer Panel” with panelists Richard Owen Walker (Airbus), Oliver Gerg (Embraer Commercial) and Chris Jones (ATR). Ms. Johnson will be speaking on the “Aviation Private Placements” panel alongside Boris Alishayev (KBRA), George Stone (Barings) and Michael Dickson (Citigroup).~~Mr. Fine, Chair of Milbank's Finance Practice and the firm's Transportation and Space Group, has extensive experience in a range of international financial and corporate transactions, including public offerings and private placement of securities (equipment notes, enhanced equipment trust certificates (EETCs), ABS), acquisitions, loyalty financings, leveraged leasing, secured and unsecured lending, cross-border financings, structured financings, restructurings, workouts and credit enhancements..~~Ms. Johnson, Practice Group Leader of the firm’s Transportation and Space Group, focuses on structured finance transactions, international transactions and corporate transactions. Named “Aviation Lawyer of the Year” 2023 at Euromoney’s Women in Business Law Americas Awards, Ms. Johnson is highly experienced with ABS and portfolio securitizations across multiple asset classes, corporate platform formations with dynamic capital structures, CLOs (including nontraditional CLOs), acquisition financing, mergers and acquisitions, secured lending and restructuring. Ms. Johnson also focuses on transportation and equipment assets, esoteric assets, digital infrastructure and space assets in the capital markets, the bank markets and the alternative lending markets.~~The two-day conference is hosted by Airline Economics magazine, the aviation sector’s highly regarded finance and leasing global publication for airlines, lessors, investors, banks, law firms and MROs.~~Click here to learn more about Airline Economics’ Growth Frontiers Americas New York .

Oct 17

1 min

Milbank LLP Transportation and Space partners Drew Fine and Alexandra Johnson will moderate and speak at Airline Economics’ Growth Frontiers Americas conference in New York, taking place October 15-16, 2025. On October 15, Mr. Fine will moderate the “Alternative Investors & Lenders Panel” with panelists Pooja Gardemal (BK Associates), Marc Cho (HALO AirFinance), Axel Hammar (AirFinance) and Dave Brown (Oaktree Capital). Mr. Fine will also moderate the “Manufacturer Panel” with panelists Richard Owen Walker (Airbus), Chris Jones (ATR), Daniel Galhardo Gomes (Embraer) and Mike Warner (Boeing). On October 16, Ms. Johnson will be speaking on the “Aviation Private Placements” panel alongside Michael Dickson (Citi), Jocelyn Noel (Airborne Capital) and George Stone (Barings). Mr. Fine, Chair of Milbank's Transportation and Space Group, has extensive experience in a range of international financial and corporate transactions, including public offerings and private placement of securities (equipment notes, enhanced equipment trust certificates (EETCs), ABS), acquisitions, loyalty financings, leveraged leasing, secured and unsecured lending, cross-border financings, structured financings, restructurings, workouts and credit enhancements. Ms. Johnson, Practice Group Leader of the firm’s Transportation and Space Group, focuses on structured finance transactions, international transactions and corporate transactions, including ABS and portfolio securitizations across asset classes, corporate platform formations with dynamic capital structures, CLOs, acquisition financing, mergers and acquisitions, secured lending and restructuring. Her practice includes specialization in transportation and equipment assets, esoteric assets, digital infrastructure and space assets in the capital markets, the bank markets and the alternative lending markets. A team of Milbank Transportation and Space partners, counsel and associates from the firm’s New York and London offices will be in attendance. The conference is hosted by Airline Economics magazine, the aviation sector’s preeminent finance and leasing global publication for airlines, lessors, investors, banks, law firms and MROs. Click here to learn about Airline Economics’ 2025 Growth Frontiers Americas New York.

Oct 14

1 min