15-Jun-2006 11:03 AM
Singapore Airlines orders 20 Boeing 787-9s amid delays in A380 delivery
SINGAPORE (XFNews-ASIA) - Singapore Airlines Ltd said it has signed a letter of intent (LOI) to buy 20 Boeing 787-9s valued at 4.52 bln usd at current manufacturer catalogue prices. The deal contains an option to buy another 20 units of the same aircraft.
SIA said deliveries of the Boeing aircraft will be scheduled between early 2011 and mid-2013. The acquisitions will be funded by cash flow generated from airline operations, it said.
The Boeing 787-9 -- the latest variant of the series known as the
Dreamliner -- can carry between 250-290 passengers with space for about 20 tons of cargo and has the longest range of 8,600-8,800 nautical miles of Boeing aircraft on offer.
"Singapore Airlines plans to deploy the aircraft on routes to North Asia, the Indian subcontinent and the Middle East," it said.
SIA said the engines for the aircraft will be selected at a later date.
The Boeing order comes amid continued delays in the delivery of Airbus 380 jumbo passenger aircraft.
SIA had expressed disappointment over Airbus' announcement of further delays in deliveries of Airbus A380 jumbo passenger aircraft by 6-7 months, citing production issues.
The airline said it is in discussions with Airbus about compensation for the delays.
"We are disappointed with the news of further delays but will work with Airbus to minimize the impact," a spokesman for SIA said.
"We still expect to receive our first A380 by the end of 2006, and this delay will not impact SIA's status as 'First to Fly' the A380," he added.
Airbus said it is still on track to win certification for the aircraft and deliver the first of the aircraft at the end of 2006, but only a maximum of nine A380 aircraft can be delivered in 2007.
Compared to the initial targets, there will be delivery shortfalls of five to nine aircraft in 2008, and around five aircraft in 2009, it added.
Meanwhile, Boeing said in a statement that it is "delighted" by SIA's choice.
"Singapore Airlines has a long-standing and well-deserved reputation as one of the world's outstanding carriers," Boeing said.
An SIA spokesman said the latest Boeing order "is not related to the delay in the delivery of the A380s and the two matters are to be viewed separately."
The Boeing 787-9 -- the latest variant of the series known as the
Dreamliner -- can carry between 250-290 passengers with space for about 20 tons of cargo and has the longest range of 8,600-8,800 nautical miles of Boeing aircraft on offer.
"Singapore Airlines plans to deploy the aircraft on routes to North Asia, the Indian subcontinent and the Middle East," it said.
SIA said the engines for the aircraft will be selected at a later date.
The Boeing order comes amid continued delays in the delivery of Airbus 380 jumbo passenger aircraft.
SIA had expressed disappointment over Airbus' announcement of further delays in deliveries of Airbus A380 jumbo passenger aircraft by 6-7 months, citing production issues.
The airline said it is in discussions with Airbus about compensation for the delays.
"We are disappointed with the news of further delays but will work with Airbus to minimize the impact," a spokesman for SIA said.
"We still expect to receive our first A380 by the end of 2006, and this delay will not impact SIA's status as 'First to Fly' the A380," he added.
Airbus said it is still on track to win certification for the aircraft and deliver the first of the aircraft at the end of 2006, but only a maximum of nine A380 aircraft can be delivered in 2007.
Compared to the initial targets, there will be delivery shortfalls of five to nine aircraft in 2008, and around five aircraft in 2009, it added.
Meanwhile, Boeing said in a statement that it is "delighted" by SIA's choice.
"Singapore Airlines has a long-standing and well-deserved reputation as one of the world's outstanding carriers," Boeing said.
An SIA spokesman said the latest Boeing order "is not related to the delay in the delivery of the A380s and the two matters are to be viewed separately."