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Aviation History
2003
2003 - 1699.PDF
AIR TRANSPORT ACQUISITION NICHOLAS IONIDES / SINGAPORE Druk Air ready for A319 pricing talks with Airbus After shunning the Boeing 737-700, carrier plans to proceed with two-aircraft order Bhutan's Druk Air is preparing to open formal pricing negotia tions with Airbus over the planned purchase of two A319s after selecting the aircraft over the Boeing 737-700. Managing director Sangay Khandu says Bhutan's council of ministers has approved the airline's long-running fleet revamp studies, allowing it to proceed with an order for two A319s to replace its two BAe 146s. Initial pricing pro posals have been made by Airbus but Khandu says more discussions need to be held. "We selected the A319 because it has a better payload capacity out of Paro Airport. We are at a high alti tude, and there are high tempera tures during the summer months. The price was also cheaper." Khandu says he hopes the air craft can be delivered in the second half of next year, allowing Druk to launch new international services. He adds that an engine selection has been made "in principle", although more studies are needed before the CFM International CFM56 or International Aero Engines V2500 is formally selected. Druk is one of the world's small est national carriers with just two BAe 146s. It originally planned to modernise its fleet with a pair of BAE Systems RJX regional jets but these plans were quashed when the manufacturer cancelled the programme in 2001. The airline also considered the Embraer 190, but Khandu says it was eliminated as it is still in devel opment and Druk required demon stration flights as part of the compe tition. He adds that Bombardier ruled out its CRJ900, saying it was unsuitable for operations from Paro. NEW CARRIER Air Bourbon toasts its launch with A340-200 Air Bourbon has taken delivery of its first aircraft, an Airbus A340-200 leased from Airbus Asset Management. The airline, based in Reunion in the Indian Ocean, made its inaugural flight on 7 June. Air Bourbon now has a thrice-weekly service between Paris Orly Airport and Reunion's Roland Garros Airport, near the capital St Denis. In addition, it oper ates a weekly service from St Denis to Lyon. Local businessman Eric Lazarus established the airline, with several individual investors from Reunion. APPROVALS USA-Iraq commercial flights await take-off US carriers are a step closer to operating commercial flights to Baghdad, after the US Depart ment of Transportation (DoT) granted Kalitta Air, Northwest Airlines and World Airways authority to serve Iraq pending further government clearances. Three US carriers - American Airlines, United Airlines and Delta Air Lines - already hold certificate authority to serve Iraq. US charter and wet lease opera tor North American Airlines is awaiting a DoT reply on its pro posed services between New York Kennedy and Baghdad via Geneva. The DOT warns that no airline can launch services to Iraq until it has met all applicable require ments of the US Federal Aviation Administration, the Transportation Security Adminis tration and the Department of Defense. In addition, the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq is examining the prospective restoration of air transport. "It is difficult to say [which agency] will have the final say," says a DOT spokesman, adding that no timeline has been set for US carriers to operate USA-Iraq routes. Transportation officials lifted a ban on USA-Iraq air ser vice last month, but issues such as security at Iraqi airports must still be addressed. START-UP JUSTIN WASTNAGE/LONDON Suter looks to support Swiss low-cost venture Plans have been made to launch a low-cost airline in Switzerland, based in Basle using former Crossair regional aircraft, which may involve the Crossair founder Moritz Suter. Suter believes the creation of the country's new flag carrier Swiss International Air Lines from Crossair "with all the big money, was a tremendous mistake". He says Switzerland needs a lower fares short-haul airline. Suter confirms that he has seen plans from several parties interested in establishing a short-haul rival to Swiss, which announced plans to launch a regional subsidiary Swiss Express last month. Suter says although he would not head up a new venture, he would consider joining one, "depending on what Swiss does". Swiss is reducing its short-haul fleet to two types - the Airbus A320 family and Embraer 170/195 - and is looking for buyers for its 15 BAE Systems Avro RJlOOs and four Avro PJ85s. An Embraer source says the Brazilian manufacturer is disposing of the Avros as part of renegotiating the 170/195 deal agreed in March, and that a taker has been found. Suter is understood to have resigned after one month as chair man of Hirschmann Industrial Holding - parent of corporate avia tion services specialist Jet Aviation - due to personality clashes. Easyjet, which owns 49% of Switzerland's only low-cost carrier, Easyjet Switzerland, says it hears rumours of new start-up low-cost carriers "every day" and will only worry once a new airline begins operations. www.fliqhtinternational.com FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 24-30 JUNE 2003 33
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