Bhutan's Druk Air has selected the Airbus A319 over the Boeing 737-700 for its long-planned fleet modernisation and will soon open detailed pricing negotiations with the manufacturer.
Druk managing director Sangay Khandu says the Bhutan government's council of ministers approved the airline's fleet revamp studies last week, allowing it to move forward with an order for two A319s.
Initial pricing proposals have already been made by Airbus but Khandu says more discussions need to be held.
"We will be visiting the Paris airshow this week and we will invite the Airbus team to Bhutan for the pricing negotiations and to sign the letter of intent," he says from Paro.
"We selected the A319 because it has a better payload capacity out of Paro airport. We are at a high altitude, and there are high temperatures during the summer months. The price was also cheaper."
Khandu says it is hoped the aircraft can be delivered in the second half of next year, allowing Druk to launch new international services.
Hong Kong
The carrier is considering new services to Dubai, Hong Kong and/or Singapore, while maintaining existing services to Delhi and Kolkota in India, Kathmandu in Nepal, Dhaka in Bangladesh, Yangon in Myanmar and Bangkok in Thailand.
He also says an engine selection has been made "in principle", although more studies are needed before the carrier formally opts for the CFM International CFM56 or International Aero Engines V2500.
Druk Air, one of the smallest national carriers in the world with just two BAe 146s, originally planned to upgrade its fleet with two BAE Systems RJX regional jets but was hit by the manufacturer's cancellation of the programme at the end of 2001.
In February last year Airbus demonstrated an A319 in Bhutan. It was the largest aircraft ever to land at Paro Airport, which is 7,300ft (2,230m) above sea level and surrounded by high Himalayan peaks.
Boeing was unable to demonstrate its 737-700 at the time, putting it at a disadvantage in the competition, although the carrier later put its revamp studies on hold.
They were reopened earlier this year and Boeing was able to operate demonstration flights in February with a 737-700-based Boeing Business Jet.
Druk also considered the Embraer 190 but the aircraft was at a disadvantage as it is still in development and the airline had a requirement for demonstration flights as part of the competition.
The Bombardier Canadair Regional Jet CRJ-900 was ruled out early in the competition as it was considered unsuitable for operations at Paro.
Source: Flight Daily News
