South Korea's Asiana Airlines has confirmed it is in talks with Boeing on possible cancellations of aircraft orders. But the airline adds: "It is too early to say exactly how many we want to take or don't want to take."
The Seoul-based carrier has 15 outstanding firm orders for Boeing 777s, with five options, and two firm 747 orders. Some of these orders have already been deferred.
Asiana also has 10 outstanding firm orders for Airbus A321s, having cancelled six orders last year. Six Airbus A330 orders have been deferred, with the first delivery due next year.
The airline's announcement comes amid fears of other cancellations that could be contained in the forthcoming Japan Airlines (JAL)corporate plan for fiscal year 1999-2000, to be released in mid-March. JAL says it has 13 outstanding aircraft orders for delivery by June 2003 and nothing has changed yet.
The airline is known to be in talks with Boeing, however, possibly discussing order cancellations or conversions from one aircraft type to another.
"Over the years we have converted some 747 orders into other aircraft," says JAL.
Source: Flight International
