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POLAND'S LOT ORDERS BOEING
AIRCRAFT |
Boeing goes one up on Airbus
Boeing grabs LOT order in September.
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BY OUR AVIATION CORRESPONDENT
11 September, 2005: Never mind the labour disputes, but the Boeing-Airbus warfare for orders can never stop. And it was Boeing
who emerged the winner on September 8 when Poland’s national carrier LOT chose to place orders with Boeing
rather than from European aircraft maker Airbus.
LOT ordered seven of Boeing’s new 787 Dreamliner, LOT spokesperson Leszek Chorzewski said. The Dreamliner
hits the stands on 2008.
A Boeing statement said the catalogue prices of the aircraft would amount to $910 million. Aircraft makers
offer huge discounts to clients, in their bid to outsmart rivals. So, as usual, the value of the deal is a matter of
speculation.
LOT chose to word its decision to opt for Boeing carefully. Chorzewski said the company chose the aircraft that suited the firms plan for long distance routes from “two good aircraft,” an apparent reference to Airbus’ A 350 model which competed with its US-based rival for the order.
The intense Boeing-Airbus rivalry has reached the level of heads of state, with leaders of France, Britain and Germany personally communicating with Polish Prime Minister Marek Belka, in what is seen as an apparent pitch for the European aircraft maker.
Similar pressures are know to be applied by top US officials also as the intense war of orders of the two aircraft makers continue.
But despite hectic economic diplomacy, LOT opted for Boeing. It has also an option to purchase an additional five. Purchase options enable airline firms to get aircraft for the same price in a future date. It also allows the flexibility to get production priority from aircraft makers.
The aircraft for which LOT has place orders would replace its six Boeing 767s that fly between Europe and the US, official sources said.
Delivery of the aircraft is set to begin in the latter half of 2008. LOT, which has embarked on a fleet mordernisation programme, has a fleet of 19 large jets, 20 Embraer jets and 13 Aerospatiale-Alenias.
European Rolls Royce Trent 1000 engines will run the aircraft, Chorzewski said..
BY OUR AVIATION CORRESPONDENT
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