Andrew Doyle/SINGAPORE
Flightlease is aiming to complete plans for the replacement of Swissair's Boeing MD-11 fleet by June. The study could see the SAirGroup leasing company delaying some of its AirbusA340-600 deliveries and possibly becoming a launch customer for the A340-300 Enhanced.
"We have 19 MD-11s and have only ordered nine A340-600s, so the question is 'What is the optimal mix for replacing the MD-11s?'," says Flightlease president and chief executive Hans Jörg Hunziker.
The Swiss company holds options on a further 10 -600s, while Swissair has separately agreed to lease two more of the type from International Lease Finance.
Swissair traffic planners are expected to complete a study ofthe airline's capacity requirements during the next few weeks, after which Flightlease plans to open talks with Airbus and Boeing, according to Hunziker.
Options include re-sequencing A340-600 deliveries and placing orders for smaller A340-300s and/or A330-300s, says Hunziker. He does not rule out acquiring a Boeing type such as the 777.
The first five A340-600s are to be delivered next year. Hunziker says the study focuses on which types to take between 2003 and 2006, as most of the MD-11s leave the fleet for conversion to be FedEx Express freighters.
"We will take these five A340-600s in 2002, though we are analysing the best mixture for 2003 and 2004," says Hunziker. "We could postpone some -600 deliveries and take -300s earlier," he adds.
The A340-300 Enhanced "would interest us" and is "something we are considering", says Hunziker. The -300 Enhanced, featuring an upgraded CFM International CFM56-5C engine, is to be certificated in April 2003.
The high gross-weight version of the A330-300 "is also part of the analysis", says Hunziker. Swissair operates lower capacity A330-200s on its long-haul routes.
Source: Flight International
