Korean Air is excited about adding the Bombardier CSeries CS300 to its fleet, but is scolding the Canadian airframer for not doing more to gain a wider acceptance of its new jet.
While expressing Korean's confidence in the CSeries, carrier senior vice president of corporate strategy and planning Walter Cho also said Bombardier needs to do a better job in marketing the aircraft. "I believe once more customers get an interest in it, it [the CSeries] will be a very successful programme," said Cho.
He made those comments on 6 February in Everett, Washington during a ceremony celebrating dual deliveries of a 747-8F and 777F to Korean.
Assessing the technical capabilities of the CSeries Cho stated: "Its takeoff performance, [and] its landing performance are much better and fuel burn is equal to or better than the new generation of aircraft coming, so we have confidence in that aircraft." Korean has 10 firm orders and 10 options for the CS300 model.
Korean expects to take delivery of its first CS300 in 2015, and aims to introduce six of the aircraft into its fleet that year followed by four in 2016.
Bombardier aims to certify the 110-seat CS100 in 2013 and the larger CS300 in 2014.
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news
