used2flyboeing
To establish the aircraft type with a leading operator in Asia for other airlines in the region to follow suit. Other airlines in Asia look to SQ and CX for the purchasing decisions and a lot of them follow suit. Hence its good business to get a good established base in these markets, even if you have to do it at a discount.
Should have made it more clear in my previous post, EK purchased the A343's from Boeing, as they could not get enough from Airbus or elsewhere in the market.
Z