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BY OUR AVIATION CORRESPONDENT
21 July, 2005: Boeing Company, the world's second-biggest maker of commercial planes, is looking to sell its 777-200LR aircraft in India, Middle East and Asia.
"There is a demand for 200 passenger versions of the plane and 200 of the freighter model, and we intend to sell our planes in this part of the world," Boeing's 777 programme chief Lars Andersen said.
The company expects carriers in India and China to become the world's biggest aircraft buyers in the next two decades, as the companies in these countries renew their fleet and expand to cater for increasing demand of air travel.
Chinese airlines may need 1,790 planes valued at $230 billion by 2023, while India-based carriers may buy 570 planes. A 777 suits carriers in India because they need planes that can fly non-stop to US or Australia, according to industry data.
Boeing has orders for five 777-200LRs from EVA Airways Corporation of Taiwan and Pakistan International Airlines.
The company also intends to sell its to be launched cargo versions of the plane to Taiwan-based EVA Airways and Air France-KLM Group. Indian airlines had ordered 213 new planes valued at $24 billion at Paris International Air Show in June.
The Boeing 777-200LR can carry as many as 301 passengers in a three-class seating and has a list price of up to $225.5 million.
The company's sales of 777-200LRs were affected as losses by North American airlines and increase in fuel costs reduced the need of the long-range aircraft. One of the biggest passenger aircraft, the 777-200LRs can fly non-stop for up to 9,420 nautical miles (17,445 km), or 10 per cent more than the A340-500 made by its competitor Airbus Industrie.
United Airlines, Delta Air Lines Inc and American Airlines were the 777-200LR's main sales targets. Earlier, ACE Aviation Holdings Inc had cancelled a $6.1 billion order for 18 Boeing 777s and 14 787s after the airline's pilots rejected a contract to fly them.
Singapore Airlines has placed orders for 10 Airbus A340-500 planes.
BY OUR AVIATION CORRESPONDENT
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