Japanese airline signs contract for 50 aircraft, with 30 units to be delivered as the short-range 7E7-3 model
Japan's All Nippon Airways (ANA) has become the first airline to firm up a commitment for Boeing's new 7E7 with a purchase agreement for 20 baseline 7E7-8s and 30 short-range 7E7-3s.
The airline signed the contract in Seattle last week at a ceremony attended by its president and chief executive Yoji Ohashi, three months after ANA's board approved what was the first commitment for the 7E7. Twenty 7E7-8s seating around 230 passengers will primarily be used on international routes and 30 7E7-3s, seating 300 passengers, will be used on domestic routes. The twinjets will replace Boeing 767s, although the airline still has a number of 767s on order.
ANA's 7E7 deliveries are due to begin in 2008. The first six 7E7-8s are to be inducted in the 2008 fiscal year ending 31 March 2009. Another six 7E7-8s are to be delivered in 2009-10 fiscal year, followed in FY2010-11 by deliveries of the first 7E7-3s.
ANA may not be the first to operate the 7E7-3, however, as the short-range model could have an entry-into-service date earlier than the 2010 timeframe specified by ANA. "We haven't decided on the 2010 date," says Boeing. "There are a lot of other operators interested in the -3. We expect to decide soon."
ANA is one of four airlines to have revealed plans to order 7E7s. The others are Air New Zealand and European operators Blue Panorama and First Choice Airways. It is the only 7E7-3 customer so far, as the others have opted for -8s.
NICHOLAS IONIDES / SINGAPORE
Source: Flight International
