Boeing lands 747 deal; Airbus may nab others

  • Bryan Corliss / Herald Writer
  • Thursday, April 15, 2004 9:00pm
  • Business

The Boeing Co. on Thursday sold two more jumbo jets to a Taiwanese airline, the third announced jet order from an Asian air carrier in as many days.

The good news is tempered, however, by published reports this week that Airbus is close to landing two other airline orders.

China Airlines announced Thursday that it would add two Boeing 747-400F cargo jets to its fleet. The planes will be delivered in 2006, the airline said.

The sale price was not disclosed. The deal would be worth between $370 million and $422 million at list prices, but discounts are common.

China Airlines said it needs the new planes to meet increasing demand for cargo service. The airline cited a projection from the International Air Transport Association that air cargo shipments from Taiwan will increase by an average 7 percent a year through 2007.

China Airlines already plans to take two 747-400 passenger jets and two 747-400F freighters from Boeing this year. The airline, which is Taiwan’s largest, will have a fleet of 30 747s by the end of the year.

Asian airlines have announced Boeing orders worth more than $2 billion this week.

On Tuesday, Taiwan’s No. 2 airline, EVA Airways, announced that it was exercising an option to take eight 777-300 jets in a deal worth a reported $1.5 billion. Cathay Pacific Airways of Hong Kong followed that on Wednesday with an announcement that it had ordered two 777-300s worth an estimated $380 million.

However, Airbus may be edging Boeing out of two other pending orders.

On Tuesday, Reuters reported that Sir Richard Branson’s proposed American start-up airline has ended talks with Boeing about an order for 20 to 30 737s and started exclusive talks with Airbus, which is offering A320s.

The airline, which has not yet been named, is expected to start service next year.

In the Pacific, Air New Zealand reportedly is leaning toward buying up to nine A330s in a deal that would be worth $1 billion or more.

Air New Zealand wants to replace nine 767-300 jets. Boeing offered either 777s or 7E7s, the Dominion-Post newspaper in Wellington reported. The airline doesn’t want to wait for the 7E7 to become available and is hesitant to buy 777s because no other South Pacific airline flies them.

Reporter Bryan Corliss:

425-339-3454 or

corliss@heraldnet.com.

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