Andrzej Jeziorski/KUALA LUMPUR
Boeing expects to announce more Asia-Pacific orders for the 100-seat Boeing 717-200 at the Farnborough air show in late July.
According to Boeing 717 brand manager Richard Wynne, the orders will include the anticipated 10-aircraft purchase (with four options) from Cebu Pacific Air of the Philippines, as well as orders from two other unnamed Asia-Pacific carriers which have both signed provisional agreements for the aircraft.
The unnamed carriers are believed to be domestic Chinese airlines Wuhan Air Lines and Yunnan Airlines. Wynne says they will bring the 717's firm order tally up to "well over 160" aircraft from the current 146, alongside 141 options now held.
The 717-200 recently broke into the Asia-Pacific market with an order for five leased aircraft from Australian regional carrier Impulse Airlines, which previously only operated a fleet of 19-seat Raytheon Beech 1900D turboprops. Three aircraft have been delivered to Impulse since April, with the last two due in the third quarter of this year.
Boeing is also confident that Bangkok Airways will go ahead with its plan to order two more leased 717s, on top of the two already ordered from Pembroke Capital for delivery in November and April next year. The additional order should come "later this year" says Wynne.
Source: Flight International
