Paul Lewis/SINGAPORE
Malaysia Airlines (MAS) is offering its unwanted Boeing 777-200 delivery positions to Brazilian carrier VASP, following the collapse of similar talks with Delta Air Lines. At the same time, Thai Airways International says that it is looking to defer some of its later deliveries.
The Malaysian flag carrier had been in discussions with Delta to offload up to five Rolls-Royce Trent 800 powered 777s, all due for delivery this year. Airline sources in Kuala Lumpur say that the US carrier has dropped the proposal, leaving MAS to focus on VASP as a potential buyer.
Delta had been looking to secure early delivery positions ahead of the handover in August 1999 of the first of its own 777s on order. The proposed deal, however, was undermined by the time needed to prepare the aircraft for Delta service and the variation in price paid by the two carriers for the twinjets.
MAS has reached agreement to sell a second Boeing 747-400 Combi to start up carrier Fiji International Airlines, in place of an -300 Combi earlier agreed. The airline is disposing of the two General Electric CF6-80 powered aircraft, to standardise its 747-400 fleet with Pratt & Whitney PW4000 powerplants.
Meanwhile, Thai president Thamnoon Wanglee says that the airline is discussing deferring some deliveries. A contraction in traffic and the currency crisis are hitting Thai's planned 21 aircraft fleet renewal programme. While four 737-400s have already entered service, a proposed revised delivery schedule for the remaining aircraft will be submitted shortly to the airline's board for approval, says Thai.
The airline has one Airbus A330-300, a 747-400 and two 777-300s on order for 1999 and two more 777-300s for the year after. The bulk of Thai's new equipment is already on the production line, for delivery between March and the end of this year, including five A300-600Rs, three A330-300s, two 777-300s and one 747-400.
Thai has also opened talks with Fortis Aviation on the sale of three McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30ERs to Northwest Airlines, following the collapse of a similar deal with Euro Aircraft Trading/Aircraft Investors. Elsewhere, Sempati Air Transport is searching for bridge financing to keep the purchase of 26 ex-United Airlines 737-200s on course.
Source: Flight International
