JUSTIN WASTNAGE / VIENNA
Evaluation follows groundbreaking joint avionics sourcing agreement and information technology package
The three largest European Star Alliance member airlines are exploring a combined deal for regional aircraft, which would be the first such joint aircraft purchase for the Lufthansa/United Airlines-led grouping. The carriers, Austrian Airlines, Lufthansa and Scandinavian Airlines (SAS), have issued tenders, which are likely to be settled simultaneously, says Austrian Airlines group president and chief executive Vagn Sørensen.
The move comes as Star Alliance is on the verge of following up its ground-breaking avionics sourcing agreement with Rockwell Collins with a similar information technology deal (Flight International, 27 August - 2 September).
The Austrian flag carrier is restructuring its fleet after integrating Lauda Air, Rheintalflug and Tyrolean Airways within the group earlier this year. Sørensen says that now the airline has implemented some of the more urgent parts of its fleet strategy, such as converting Airbus A320 orders to A319s, finding a "gap filler" between 70 and 120 seats is "top priority". The fact that Austrian's Star partners Lufthansa and SAS, the latter of which Sørensen was previously deputy chief executive, are also looking for regional aircraft is "a coincidence that could be exploited", he says.
Star Alliance chief executive Jaan Albrecht says the organisation will work as a "facilitator" in any deal between the three and a manufacturer, co-ordinating the terms to standardise the configurations for example. "It would be up to the carriers to negotiate on price," he says.
Austrian says that the backbone of its regional fleet, to be operated by Tyrolean, will be the Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 twin turboprop, which will be supplemented by regional jets. Four Fokker 70s from Austrian Airlines' mainline fleet and four Lauda Bombardier CRJ200LRs will be merged into Tyrolean's jet fleet, which comprises six Fokker 70s, six Bombardier CRJ200s and three Embraer ERJ-145s.
Lufthansa is evaluating the structure of its regional affiliates and is expected to streamline its operations by the end of this year (Flight International, 8-14 October). Once the new structure is in place, Lufthansa is set to decide on a replacement for orders for 60 Fairchild Dornier 728s, plus 60 options. SAS, meanwhile, says that it still has several issues to conclude, including pilot scope clauses, before it can define its regional jet needs.
The three carriers are keen to conclude any deal in the current "buyer's market", says Sørensen. LOT Polish Airlines, which joined Star Alliance last week, is thought to be too far advanced in its negotiations to be included in the deal.
Meanwhile, Star has asked five suppliers to bid to offer a common technical platform for handling ticketing, seat inventory and departure information for introduction in 2004. The system could replace eight different platforms being used by its 12 member airlines.
Additional reporting by Murdo Morrison in London
Source: Flight International
