Aeroflot breathes new life into 787 deal?
Published 9:00 pm Wednesday, June 6, 2007
Perhaps last week’s warm weather helped thaw the frosty relations blamed for an ending a deal between Russia’s Aeroflot and the U.S.’s Boeing Co. for 22 787 Dreamliners. The Moscow Times reports that Aeroflot may sign a deal with Boeing this weekend (Read their story here: http://www.themoscowtimes.com/stories/2007/06/08/044.html).
In February, observers pointed to the tense relationship between the United States and Russia as a reason for the deal’s collapse. (To read the AP report, http://www.heraldnet.com/stories/07/02/23/100bus_787001.cfm)
Just a month later, European Aeronautic Defense and Space Co. (the parent company of Boeing rival Airbus) jumped into a deal with Russia. After Aeroflot signed an agreement for 22 A350s (Airbus’ answer to the 787), EADS promised Russian aerospace companies 5 percent of the A350 airframe work (for more on this, http://www.heraldnet.com/stories/07/03/23/100bus_airbus001.cfm).
Last week, however, Russia’s second largest airline, the S7 Group, inked a deal for 15 Boeing 787s (http://www.heraldnet.com/stories/07/05/30/100bus_787001.cfm), possibly paving the way for Aeroflot to return to the table with Boeing.
