Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Singapore Airlines May Buy Airbus’s A350-1000 Jet After Upgrade, CEO Says

Singapore Airlines Ltd. (SIA) is considering an order for Airbus SAS’s A350-1000 jet as the European planemaker plans improvements in range and payload, Chief Executive Officer Goh Choon Phong said.

The airline is awaiting details of enhancements to Boeing Co. (BA)’s competing 777-300ER before deciding which model to purchase, Goh said today in a briefing at Airbus’s headquarters in Toulouse, France.

Goh declined to discuss how many planes Singapore Airlines might buy. It currently has 20 A350-900s on order, some of which could be upgraded to the -1000, in addition to a separate commitment for the larger model, which will receive improved Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines after the announcement in June.

“I was very glad to learn about the Airbus announcement,” Goh said. “Boeing has been talking about improvements to the 777-300ER. At this point we haven’t heard any details but we are looking forward to hearing about payload and range performance improvements.”

The A350 comes in three variants, with the mid-sized A350-900 being the most popular model. Airbus has maintained planned delivery of its A350-900 for the end of 2013, with Singapore scheduled to be the second customer after Qatar Airways Ltd., taking its first plane in 2013, Goh said today.
Range, Payload

Airbus said in June it would delay both the A350-1000 as it changed the design to offer more range and payload while also deferring the smallest version of the A350, which seats 270, to allow more time to work on the A350-900 as well as the A320neo single-aisle jet.

The changes on the A350-1000 variant included work on the landing gear and the outer part of the wing, Airbus said. The improved performance will allow the aircraft to service routes such as Shanghai to Boston.

Boeing has said it plans to offer upgrades on its 777-300ER model, the Chicago-based company’s largest twin-engine plane.

Improvements to the 777 will include the adaptation of technology used on the new 787 Dreamliner “before the A350-1000 is scheduled to enter service,” a Boeing spokesman, Marc Birtel, said in an e-mail. He didn’t elaborate and said Boeing doesn’t comment on discussions with customers.

Singapore Airlines ordered eight more 777-300ERs in August to tap growing regional and long-haul travel demand in the Asia- Pacific region.

http://www.bloomberg.com

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