Max Kingsley Jones/LONDON
DHL has concluded its long- running negotiations with Boeing and British Airways for the acquisition of a massive fleet of converted Boeing 757 freighters, and will take the first of 44 aircraft in mid-2001. An announcement was expected on 5 October.
Discussions between DHL, BA and Boeing about the $1.3 billion 757 deal was revealed by Flight International in July (28 July-3 August). Deliveries of the converted 35t payload 757-200Fs to Brussels-based DHL International/European Air Transport will begin in mid-2001, initially at a rate of one a month.
DHL selected the 757-200F to replace its ageing European-based Boeing 727 fleet after an evaluation which included the 737-300/400F and a proposed cargo version of the Airbus A320. The selection provides Boeing with the launch customer for the 757 freighter conversion programme, while also providing an outlet for almost all of BA's 757s.
Boeing is acquiring all BA's 34 Rolls-Royce RB211-535C-powered 757-200s, along with 10 of its 19 -535E4-powered examples, for conversion and onward delivery to DHL.
Boeing is offering its 757 conversion for a list price of $6.8 million and will require 12-18 months from programme launch to complete initial conversions and gain certification. The programme is expected to get under way later this year with the delivery of the first aircraft from the BA fleet.
The phasing out of BA's 757s comes as the airline undertakes a major strategy revamp and refocus on yield rather than total passenger traffic. The airline is to replace many of the 180-seat 757s at London Heathrow hub by smaller 150-seaters.
The 757 disposal had originally been linked to the airline's proposed acquisition of Boeing 717s (Flight International, 4-10 August), but that deal may have been widened to include the trade-in of other types. With BA cutting back its Boeing 747s in favour of smaller 777s, sources suggest that the trade-in of BA's 16 747-200s may now be linked to the 100-seat 717 order. Further capacity cuts have been considered, including the disposal of a handful of 747-400s, and up to six of its 28 767-300ERs.
Source: Flight International
