Sun Sep 01, 2019 1:58 pm
I think you may have a minor misunderstanding on the difference, perhaps?
If so, basically as you stated there are "lessors" i.e. the aircraft owners, who lease the aircraft to an operator (as you named, Aercap/ALC/CDB etc).
Then you have ACMI operators/carriers - airlines such as EuroAtlantic Airways, HiFly, Titan Airways, Smartwings, Miami Air, Omni Air, etc. as well as cargo ACMI operators in Atlas, Polar and others - that lease or lease to purchase the aircraft from the lessors.
As far as I know, I haven't seen a ACMI operator that was also the lessor, unless it would be that the lessor is the parent company owning an operator. Like MO11 said, the company (operator) needs to have operating certificates, regulatory approvals and such in order to even operate for hire/commercial purpose.
I would assume that ACMI operators have certain deals (charging by block hour) depending on the length of contract and scope of the operation they are proposed to operate.