BOEING HAS high hopes that the forthcoming visit of Chinese President Jiang Zemin to the USA will clear the way for an Air China order for new 747-400 and 777s.
Air China is understood to be ready to order ten Boeing 777s and five 747-400s. The 777s are needed from 1997 onwards and are likely be a mixture of -200 A-market and B-market aircraft. The first of the 747-400s, if approved, would enter service in August 1996.
The carrier also has an initial requirement for around five narrowbodies. Local sources suggest that this will eventually increase to as many as 20.
Interest is primarily focused on the new 189-seat Boeing 737-800. With the first 737-800 not scheduled for delivery until 1998, Air China is also considering the 757 as a short-term alternative.
The new aircraft are needed to replace Air China's increasingly elderly fleet of Boeing 747-200s, SPs and 737-200s. Its planned re-equipping has been delayed by a combination of political and infrastructural factors.
While the basis for an agreement between Air China and Boeing is known to have been in place for some time, it still requires the Chinese Government's blessing.
Final approval, however, has been held up by a succession of political and trade rows between Washington and Beijing.
Airbus Industrie in the meantime has been strongly pushing the A340 and A330 as alternatives to the Boeing aircraft and is still hopeful of securing a sale.
Air China in turn is understood to be under pressure to take three A340-200s from China Aircraft Suppliers (CASC), possibly for use as Government VIP aircraft.
CASC originally placed an order for six A340s with the intention of supplying the aircraft to China Southern Airlines. The Guangzhou-based carrier has refused to take them.
Source: Flight International
