Myanmar Airways International has scrapped plans to lease two Airbus Industrie A320s and instead extended an interim lease agreement with Malaysia Airlines (MAS)for two Boeing 737-400s.
In late 1996, the Singapore-Myanmar joint-venture carrier signed a letter of intent with Airbus to lease two A320s for five years. The International Aero Engines V2500-powered aircraft were to replace the two 737s, one of which was to be returned to MAS for sale.
Myanmar says that "-other arrangements have been made", and the 737 will been retained for now.
Myanmar could still need additional narrowbody and widebody jet airliners in the longer term as it opens new routes and increases frequencies. The threat of US sanctions against Rangoon, however, has made major leasing companies and underwriters nervous of dealing with the airline.
Myanmar now operates from Rangoon to six regional destinations and has increased its frequencies to Singapore to a daily service, and Bangkok to three times a week. It is also looking at adding flights to Kuala Lumpur and Hong Kong.
Source: Flight International
