21st Feb 2007 07:01
British Airways PLC21 February 2007 NEW LONGHAUL AIRCRAFT ORDER British Airways has taken the first step towards expanding its longhaul fleet byordering four Boeing 777-200 ER aircraft for delivery during early 2009. The airline has also taken out options on four Boeing 777-200 ER aircraft fordelivery in 2010. Robert Boyle, British Airways' commercial director, said: "These new aircraftwill enable us to grow our longhaul business after we move to Terminal 5. "It was a close decision between the Boeing 777s and Airbus A330s. However, theease of assimilating up to eight aircraft into our existing 777 fleet, ratherthan having a small number of A330s, swung the balance in Boeing's favour. "We are confident of a similarly competitive approach from both manufacturers aswe move towards our major longhaul fleet renewal and expansion order later thisyear." Negotiations continue with GE and Rolls Royce about which engines will be usedon the new Boeing 777 aircraft. The airline's competition for additional and replacement longhaul aircraft to bedelivered in the next decade is considering the Airbus A330, Airbus A350, AirbusA380, Boeing 787, Boeing 777 and Boeing 747-8. The first aircraft to be replacedwill be 20 Boeing 747s and 14 Boeing 767s, the oldest of which are currently 17years' old. ends February 21, 2007 28/LG/07 Notes to editors The list price for a new Boeing 777-200 ER is US$201 million per aircraft. British Airways has 43 Boeing 777 aircraft in its fleet of which 27 have GEengines and 16 have Rolls Royce engines. The airline's other longhaul aircraftare 57 Boeing 747-400 and 14 Boeing 767-300. In addition, British Airways has turned options for four Airbus A320 shorthaulaircraft into firm orders. The aircraft will be delivered in 2008 to replaceAirbus A320 family aircraft that are leaving the airline's fleet. Certain information included in these statements is forward-looking and involvesrisks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materiallyfrom those expressed or implied by the forward looking statements. Forward-looking statements include, without limitation, projections relating toresults of operations and financial conditions and the company's plans andobjectives for future operations, including, without limitation, discussions ofthe company's Business Plan programmes, expected future revenues, financingplans and expected expenditures and divestments. All forward-looking statementsin this report are based upon information known to the company on the date ofthis report. The company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or reviseany forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, futureevents or otherwise. It is not reasonably possible to itemise all of the many factors and specificevents that could cause the company's forward looking statements to be incorrector that could otherwise have a material adverse effect on the future operationsor results of an airline operating in the global economy. Information on somefactors which could result in material difference to the results is available inthe company's SEC filings, including, without limitation the company's Report onForm 20-F for the year ended March 2006. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock ExchangeRelated Shares:
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