Paul Lewis/JAKARTA
ASIANA AIRLINES of South Korea has signed agreements with Airbus Industrie and Boeing to order up to 58 new Airbus A330s, Boeing 777s, 747-400s and 767-300s in what is likely to be the largest widebody deal to be agreed this year.
The carrier has finalised its selection of new widebody aircraft and signed memoranda of understanding with Airbus and Boeing. The two agreements cover a total of 38 new aircraft orders, with options for a further 20.
Deliveries are scheduled to begin in 1998 and will continue through to 2006. The order is divided almost evenly between the two rival manufacturers, with the Airbus share of the deal consisting of 18 A330-200/300s, with options on another ten aircraft.
Boeing's share includes 15 777-200/300s and five options, three additional 747-400 combis, plus three options, and two more 767-300s, with options on another two. Funding for both deals is subject to final approval from the South Korean Government. Asiana has still to select engines for the new widebody aircraft. Competing for the 777 and A330 orders, respectively, are General Electric, with its GE90 and CF6-80, Pratt & Whitney, offering the PW4084 and PW4164, and Rolls-Royce, proposing the Trent 800 and 700.
The airline already operates a fleet of 19 CF6-80C2-powered 747-400s and 767-300s, and it is likely that it will select the same powerplant for its five additional 747s and 767s. Asiana hopes to finalise its choice of engines and formally announce before the end of July its widebody and earlier narrowbody-aircraft deals.
The airline has already reached agreement to order 18 International Aero Engine V-2500-powered A321s (Flight International, 10-16 April).
Selection of new widebody and narrowbody aircraft ends a year-long airline evaluation and competition. The two purchases, totalling 76 aircraft, represent the largest single Asian airline order since Singapore Airlines announced its 777 deal in November 1995. Asiana already operates a total of 41 Boeing 737s, 747s and 767s, and this latest order is being interpreted as a clear signal to national carrier Korean Air that it intends to step up competition on domestic and international routes.
South Korean airline attention is now expected to focus on new, larger, long-range aircraft. Asiana had originally intended ordering a larger number of 747-400s, but is instead now registering strong interest in Boeing's proposed new-600MD version.
The A330 orders will cover eight -200s and ten -300s. Deliveries of both types will start in 1999 and run through to 2005. The ten options are equally divided.
Of the 15 777s on firm order, eight will be -300 stretch versions (with three options) for delivery between 1999 and 2006 and seven will be -200 IGW aircraft (with two options) to be delivered between 1998 and 2005.
The 767-300s are for delivery in 1998 and 1999 and the 747s in 2000, 2003 and 2005.
Source: Flight International
