Airbus, Boeing stay busy in the holidays
By Brian Straus, ATW Online | Jan. 04, 2006
Airbus and Boeing finished the year strong as several airlines announced aircraft orders or confirmations during the final week of 2005 and the first few days of the new year.
Air Deccan led the way with its Dec. 24 announcement that it signed to purchase 30 additional A320s for delivery starting in 2008. The deal is worth $1.5 billion at list prices. The Indian LCC ordered 32 A320s in January 2005. It will take delivery of eight this year, increasing its fleet to 32 aircraft. No engine choice was announced for the new batch of 180-seaters.
Airbus also received an order from Bangkok Airways, which announced Dec. 30 that it will acquire six A350-800s for use on routes to Europe beginning in 2012. It is the first widebody purchase for the carrier, which currently operates 17 aircraft on Asian routes. No engine choice was announced.
Meantime, Eurofly finalized a previously announced commitment for three A350-800s (ATWOnline, Oct. 14) and also took three options. Deliveries will begin in 2013.
As for Boeing, Avion Group of Iceland signed a contract last week for four additional 777 freighters to be operated by its ACMI subsidiary Air Atlanta Icelandic. It became the second customer for the new freighter when it ordered four 777Fs in September (ATWOnline, Sept. 23, 2005). Avion will take delivery if its first 777F in February 2009. The aircraft will be powered by GE90-110B1s.
Boeing may have landed another significant Dreamliner order just after Christmas as Aeroflot officials revealed that the Russian carrier has chosen the 787 for its long-haul fleet renewal and will purchase up to 22, according to media reports. "If everything goes well, the contract will be signed before the end of March," Aeroflot Deputy General Director Lev Koshlyakov told Reuters.
In India, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh approved Air-India's order for 68 777s and 787s, completing the longest-running widebody evaluation in history, which began when McDonnell Douglas was touting the MD-11 more than 10 years ago. Air-India converted some of its options to firm orders, including three 777-200LRs, five 777-300ERs and seven 787s. ATWOnline also understands that the delivery schedule has been brought forward, with deliveries to occur between November 2006 and year end 2011.
Lastly, SpiceJet reportedly will be converting options for 10 737NGs to 737-900ERs. CEO Siddhanta Sharma told Business Line that the orders are likely to be placed in August. The carrier has ordered 10 737-800s and has 10 options.