China Airlines mulls 747 replacements, narrowbody order

China Airlines mulls 747 replacements, narrowbody order

Taiwan-based China Airlines (CI) plans to replace its 13 Boeing 747-400s from 2015/16 and will decide by 2013 which aircraft to order. It is consideringthe 747-8, Airbus A380, 777-300ER and the A350-1000.

President Huang-Hsiang Sun told ATW in Taipei the carrier is also evaluating a narrowbody fleet of more than 20 aircraft such as the 737 Max and A320neo by 2020.

CI has 14 A350-900s on order, plus 16 options (ATW Daily News, March 21), which it could change to the -1000 version. Delivery is expected between 2015 and 2018.

“Our A350s will offer a complete new generation on-board service,” Sun

said. The A350 should also help to bring better operational performance, especially on routes to Europe in burning less fuel, faster speed and more efficiency, according to Sun. “We will not add more flights to Europe until we have the A350.”

CI is working with aviation authorities to get more direct routes betweenTaiwan and Europe to improve efficiency.

“So far, we are limited using airspace overflying Mainland China,” Sun

said. With better routes, he said the carrier can save up to one hour each way between Taiwan and Europe, which will also improve aircraft utilization. Sun hopes that new routes will be available with the summer schedule 2013. Improvements are urgent, he said, because high fuel prices have put pressure on long-haul operating costs.

CI is in the delivery process of seven A330-300s between 2010 and 2013. Up tosix 737-800s should join the fleet by the end of 2014. Sun said the carrieris also considering the -900ER.

CI has a current fleet of 13 747-400s, six A340-300s, 20 A330-300s, 10

737-800s and 19 747-400 freighters.

來源: http://tinyurl.com/cleglhb

小紅莓押寶歐洲線?

C教官有機會飛737-Max?

喔對, 看起來787沒希望了....

(上色好難...)

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