Boeing talks up odds for Aeroflot
Published 9:00 pm Thursday, March 2, 2006
Seems that I’m not the only one who thinks Boeing has won the Aeroflot order. Boeing itself is feeling pretty good about it, according to reports from Moscow today. Boeing is offering the leading Russian airline 787s, while Airbus has countered with A350s. The airline reportedly has already decided which plane it will order, and is expected to announce its decision this month.
Reuters http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/03/AR2006030300529.html said Boeing is discounting a recent Airbus offer to knock $100 million of its price for 22 A350s.
Key Quote, from Boeing VP of sales Craig Jones: “Jones said Boeing’s calculations showed the Dreamliner’s economical consumption of fuel and other cost-effective factors meant Aeroflot would eventually be saving about $3.5 million per year on each of the B-787. … ‘This $100 million discount will go away in about 15 months of operation … You have to add value to the price too,’ he said. ‘We are partners with Russia, and we have a superior product, so with that combination I think we have very good chances.’”
Russian news agencies RIA Novosti http://en.rian.ru/world/20060303/43893491.html and Interfax http://www.interfax.ru/e/B/finances/26.html?id_issue=11473862 report that Boeing’s talking with other airlines in the region that also are interested in 787s.
Key Quote, from RIA Novosti: “Craig Jones said the company was negotiating sales of 15 Boeing-787 Dreamliner planes to one airline and 2-3 planes to another, without disclosing their names.”
