CHINA YUNNAN Airlines' recently announced order for three Rolls-Royce RB.211-524H-powered Boeing 767-300s (Flight International, 18-24 January) replaces a previously unannounced order for three 757-200s.
The Kunming-based carrier had been scheduled to receive three 757s from state-owned China Aviation Supplies (CASC). The aircraft are among 13 RB.211-535-powered 757s originally ordered by CASC in 1992 at a cost of $800 million.
Yunnan, however, subsequently identified a need for a larger widebody aircraft to serve its growing number of international and domestic routes, including Singapore and Bangkok.
Competing against the Boeing was Airbus, offering its A300-600.
It is understood that Yunnan, in conjunction with CASC, opted for the 767/RB.211 airframe-engine combination. The move was prompted so as to avoid the risk of paying cancellation penalties to Boeing and Rolls-Royce for the three 757s.
Converting to 767s does not alter the total number of passenger aircraft ordered by Chinese carriers and does not break the 18-month moratorium on new purchases, announced by the China civil-aviation administration in July 1994.
Source: Flight International
