Paul Phelan/CAIRNS
The board of Ansett International has endorsed a plan to acquire two Boeing 747-400s as interim replacements for two 747-300s it leases from partner Singapore Airlines (SIA). The decision removes any near term plans to acquire smaller twinjets.
The airline operates the 747-300s between Australia and Asia. The replacements are also likely to be supplied by SIA. Ansett's decision follows a review of other options, including the lease of two aircraft from major shareholder Air New Zealand, which offered aircraft of differing specification.
The two aircraft will join Ansett in the second half of the year. Airline sources say the availability of further -400s from SIA will allow Ansett to take up new and potentially more profitable international routes, such those to Europe. The Australian carrier does not expect to make further route decisions until the programme for its entry into the Star Alliance is defined.
Ansett, whose 12-month study of possible fleet options had first focused on Airbus A330-200s, Boeing 777s and Boeing 767-400s as possible 747 replacements, has devised the interim strategy to allow it to meet commitments on existing routes to Hong Kong, Osaka and Taipei. The move also improves its readiness for the expansion outlined last year.
The decision will give Ansett time to continue evaluating its fleet options on those routes, while providing capacity to expand to the daily service it has been seeking to Hong Kong, plus a possible Sydney-Los Angeles presence.
Under recently revised "open skies" air services agreements, any new US or Australian transpacific carrier with regulatory acceptance is guaranteed a minimum of four return 747 services weekly.
Ansett's entry on the route would bring the Star Alliance, already represented by United Airlines and Air New Zealand, closer to toppling Qantas' domination of the lucrative service.
Source: Flight International
