Nigeria’s Bellview Airlines has issued a request for proposals for 34 aircraft comprising long-haul, short-haul and regional types.
Lagos-based Bellview is seeking four Airbus A350-900 or Boeing 787-9 twin-jets, and 10 Boeing 737-700/800s or Airbus A319/320s. It is also seeking 20 Bombardier CRJ705 or Embraer 175 regional aircraft.
Bellview’s proposed acquisition will include options for four additional widebodies, 10 narrowbodies and 10 regional jets, bringing the potential order to 58 aircraft.
The airline, which currently has just six aircraft – a mix of Boeing 767-200s and 737-200s – says deliveries would be from 2009 to 2020.
It has identified consultant SH&E as an adviser on the fleet-renewal programme and will set up a commission in New York to assess the process.
“The request for proposals will lead to the placement of an order in July 2008 – possibly before the Farnborough Air Show,” a spokesman for the airline claims. “This is the best time to buy aircraft and we are determined to explore new aircraft availability to the maximum.”
Bellview says it has recently raised nearly $1 billion in capital to help support the fleet replacement. The carrier operates to 14 destinations in Africa as well as London.
Source: flightglobal.com's sister premium news site Air Transport Intelligence news
Source: Flight International
