Fiji’s Air Pacific is evaluating the Airbus A350 and Boeing 787 for a planned year-end deal covering orders for seven aircraft.
Managing director and chief executive John Campbell says the airline “is evaluating the A350-900 and the 787-900 with a view to acquiring up to seven aircraft on a combination of lease and purchase”. He says the aircraft will replace Air Pacific’s single Boeing 767-300ER and two Boeing 747-400s, all of which are leased, as well as additional aircraft that it plans to add on an interim basis between 2007 and 2011. Deliveries of the new aircraft would take place in 2011, he says.
Campbell says the “timeframe for decision is by the end of this calendar year, with the next board meeting on 18 November expected to provide agreement to negotiate a purchase order”.
He says that “in parallel” to the new-aircraft evaluation the airline is looking at the acquisition of an additional 767-300 for use until the A350s or 787s arrive in five to six years. The alternative option being explored is to replace the 767 and instead add two Airbus A330-300s, he adds.
Air Pacific said late in 2002 that it had decided to order two A330-300s directly from Airbus and take two options for delivery from mid-2005, although it later said it had deferred the order plan and a firm purchase agreement was never signed.
Source: Flight International
