Karen Walker
Champagne was flowing again yesterday when Boeing brought together an impressive line-up of airline chiefs to complete $7.4 billion in signings for new long-range 777s. Newest customer for the 777 Longer Range Derivative is All Nippon Airways. Koichi Nomura, ANA's senior vice-president and general manager, announced an order for six longer range 777-300sAlso present to put final signatures to contracts were Frank Hsu, vice-chairman and president of EVA Airways, which has ordered four -300s and three -200s; Henry Hubschman, president of General Electric Capital Airline Service (GECAS), which has ordered 10 aircraft; Steven Udvar-Hazy, president and chief executive officer of International Lease Finance (ILFC), which has ordered eight aircraft; and Norio Ogo, executive officer and general manager, engineering, of Japan Airlines, which has ordered eight -300s.The longer range versions of the 777, also known as the 777X, were launched earlier this year and have the greatest range of any airliner in the business , the -200 will carry 301 passengers almost 16,650km (9,000nm). That will allow airlines to operate new city pairs, such as nonstop service between New York and Kuala Lumpur.
"These airplanes get the passengers where they want to go faster, more comfortably and more economically," says Seddik Belyamani, Boeing's executive vice-president of sales and marketing. Ceremony Based on an average list price of $180 million, yesterday's signing ceremony added up to a total value of $7.4 billion. Boeing says that the 777 family has captured 66% of the total market share in its class.
Alan Mulally, president of Boeing Commercial Airplanes and the man behind the development of the 777 programme, said: When we tried to think _about how the world was going, what the _airlines would need, and how we could add value in a rapidly changing world. We came up with the 777 family. Also taking part in yesterday's celebrations was James McNerney, president of GE Aircraft Engines. The GE90 is the engine for the longer range 777s.
Source: Flight Daily News
