NICHOLAS IONIDES / SINGAPORE Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has begun evaluating replacements for its ageing Airbus A300B4-200s, and is looking to standardise its medium-capacity fleet around the smaller A310. The carrier's general manager for fleet planning, Shahnawaz Rehman, says PIA's priority is to replace its eight operational A300B4s, which last year suffered from structural problems of rear pressure bulkheads, leading to several being temporarily grounded. Rehman says the company is looking at the A310, and used aircraft are likely to be acquired through lease or purchase arrangements. The airline already operates six A310-300s, which like its A300s are powered by General Electric CF6 engines. PIA's A300s average age is 21 years, while that of its A310s is 10. In May, PIA suffered from a potentially disastrous cabin depressurisation incident on a 20-year-old A300 that was later found to be the result of a rear pressure bulkhead failure caused by heavy corrosion. As a result, Airbus advised all operators of A300B-series aircraft to carry out corrosion checks on rear pressure bulkheads. PIA has been planning to update its fleet for years, but various problems have forced delays. Industry sources say the carrier is looking to replace its A300s now as the second-hand market is depressed. It has long wanted to substitute its Boeing 747-200s with new aircraft, but in 1999 opted for leases on five 747-300s from Cathay Pacific Airways after financial troubles. For months, Boeing has been offering the carrier an attractive deal on four whitetail 777s, and Rehman says the carrier is still considering it. He concedes that financing is a key factor holding up any sale, however. PIA is also hoping to replace its Fokker F27s in the next few years as the average age of the 11-strong fleet is nearly 40 years.
Source: Flight International
