Brent Hannon/TAIPEI
The new management of China Airlines (CAL) is re-thinking the airline's ambitious $5.6 billion plan to acquire a new fleet of Airbus and Boeing aircraft, announced in August 1999.
"The new management may revise the order, but it's not confirmed yet," says a CAL source. "At most it would probably be one or two aircraft either way."
In July, a politically inspired shake-up gave the 71% government-owned carrier a new management team, with just one member of the original 11 person board of directors surviving, and the appointment of a new chairman and president (Flight International, 18-24 July P36).
Although the new management has been secretive about its plans, rumours abound within the airline of an impending revision of the fleet plan, says the source.
Last August, CAL announced firm orders for 13 Boeing 747-400 freighters plus options on four -400Fs and two -400 passenger versions, along with a deal for seven Airbus A340-300s and options for one A340-300 and four A330-300s.
It also converted five Boeing 737-800 options to firm orders. The total orders and options were worth $5.6 billion, with Airbus taking a $1.8 billion share, and Boeing $3.8 billion.
The order was part of an ambitious plan launched by former CAL president Sandy Liu to add capacity, and reduce CAL's aircraft types from seven to just three: 747-400s and 737-800s, and Airbus A330/A340s, eliminating its Airbus A300s, MD-11s, and 747 and 737 classics.
Source: Flight International
