Manufacturers to encourage expansion in respective ACJ and BBJ markets, but latter admits to empty orderbook
Airbus and Boeing both see private charter growth as the key to sparking fresh demand in their respective Airbus Corporate Jetliner (ACJ) and Boeing Business Jet (BBJ) markets, though the latter now admits it has an empty orderbook.
Airbus expects to deliver its 18th ACJ/A319 this year, the latest of which is a VIP configured A319 for US operator Blue Moon Aviation. The aircraft is the first Airbus business aircraft available for charter in the USA and will be used primarily for sports team charters. Configured with 56 first and business class seats, it can be converted to take up to 76 passengers, says Blue Moon Aviation president and former MGM Grand Air executive Richard Page.
The aircraft is being operated through a partnership managed by Blue Moon, and includes the lessor SALE, EADS of Lake Charles, Louisiana for maintenance support and Denver-based Frontier Airlines which will supply operator support. Airbus, which expects to deliver a further six ACJ/A319s in 2004, says further charter growth is expected to continue as operators and lessors capitalise on what it claims is the "greater flexibility" of the ACJ.
Although bolstered by the inauguration of the first 737-800-based BBJ2 to be made available for charter by UK-based Multiflight, Boeing says "unfortunately" it has no order backlog. Some 83 BBJ 1 and 2 aircraft have been officially delivered from Boeing Commercial Airplanes to Boeing Business Jets of which 68 are in service with 51 operators. The balance, apart from one aircraft thought to be a "white-tail", are in various completion centres awaiting delivery. Two of these are BBJ2s which will join six already in service.
Boeing Business Jets president Lee Monson is optimistic that new BBJ sales will emerge from "...a lot of activity that is going on, most of which is outside the US".
Airbus is teaming with sister company EADS Sogerma to offer a "Prestige" variant of the ACJ/A319 which will be delivered with a special interior. The innovative cabin is designed to "not let you think you are in an aircraft", says Airbus vice- president corporate jetliner Richard Gaona, who adds: "We hope to sell 10 aircraft in less than three years." Prestige versions of other Airbus models, eventually including the A380, will also be offered.Source: Flight International
