Iberia is finalising the last element of its fleet renewal programme to enable it to begin phasing out its Boeing 747-200s in three-four years' time.
Last year, the Spanish flag carrier signed deals with Airbus Industrie covering orders for up to 76 Airbus A320 family aircraft and 11 A340-300s as it moves towards its goal of a two-type small and medium capacity fleet. The A320s will enable the airline over the next five years to retire its 25 ageing Boeing 727-200s, transfer its 24 Boeing MD-87s to its Aviaco subsidiary, and phase out its Boeing 757s. The additional A340s will replace the airline's seven McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30s along with its two wet-leased Boeing 767s which are operated on long-haul services.
According to John Wilkinson, Iberia's senior vice-president marketing, attention has now turned to the selection of a replacement for the airline's 747 Classic fleet, which includes four -200Bs, three -200 combis and two wet-leased aircraft. "We are examining the A340-600, Boeing 777 and 747-400," says Wilkinson. He adds that the airline should be ready to move into final negotiations this year to enable deliveries to begin by 2003.
Last year Iberia looked at introducing three new 747-400s during 1999, when the opportunity arose to take aircraft made available through Asian airline deferrals. "We couldn't justify the deal because of the question of what to do with our existing 747-200s which would have immediately become surplus," he says.
Iberia has decided to retain its 747-200s for the short term and each aircraft is undergoing a cabin refurbishment to enable the airline's new business class interior to be installed. Wilkinson says the airline is examining whether it wants its long-term 747 replacement to be the larger 747-400, or whether it should pursue a strategy of taking a slightly smaller type and boosting frequencies.
Wilkinson says that should it decide for the smaller type, then the 370-seat A340-600 would be a serious contender because of its commonality with the airline's growing Airbus fleet.
Source: Flight International
