Chiefs at Brazil's TAM and India's Kingfisher, both customers of the original Airbus A350, say they are happy to see the relaunch of the aircraft with its wider cabin, especially if the price of the XWB model remains the same.
“We don’t believe we should pay more,” says Marco Antonio Bologna, president of TAM Linhas Aéreas. Kingfisher Airlines' chairman Vijay Mallya says: “The XWB is going to be a better aircraft so we are happy.” Once Airbus has finalised the specification of the aircraft and it is fully launched, TAM and Airbus will decide on a delivery timetable.
TAM first committed to the A350-900 version of the aircraft at the Paris air show last year, increasing an initial order of eight to 10 in December. This aircraft had a list price of around $180 million. The A350-900 XWB has a list price of just over $200 million.
“If they give it to me at the same price then obviously I am happy,” says Dr Mallya.
Source: Flight Daily News
