Bad week for Boeing as another LCC buys Airbus jets

[LTNman]

Another bad week for Boeing, as Kingfisher, the well-known supplier of beer to UK Indian restaurants buys a new fleet of Airbusses

http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/Story.asp?Article=99269&Sn=BUSI&IssueID=27274

Kingfisher Airlines to acquire 30 jets

BOMBAY: Kingfisher Airlines, an Indian budget airline backed by the country's largest beer company, said yesterday it had signed a deal with Airbus to purchase a total of 30 A320 jets for $1.8 billion.

Kingfisher, which expects to start its operations by the end of April, announced in July it had agreed to buy four A320s and had options to acquire eight more.

"The carrier has exercised six options, making a total of 10 A320s on firm order with options of a further 20 new aircraft," the company said.

"Kingfisher expects to take delivery of these A320s at a rate of up to nine aircraft per year until 2008."

It will operate a fleet of 8 new Airbus aircraft in 2005 and plans to add eight A320s to its fleet in 2006, the statement said.

Kingfisher Airlines is the brainchild of flamboyant tycoon Vijay Mallya, whose UB Group makes Kingfisher beer, India's largest selling brand.

The airline has already leased four A320s from French company Debis Air Finance.

[rotornut]

And presumably they'll serve Indian Kingfisher Beer on their flights:eek:
(Not the Kingfisher Beer that's brewed in the UK)

[PAXboy]

I think this is entirely to be expected. Airbus has now learnt what LCCs like and need. In general, too, they are in the ascendant. This is natural.

Boeing was very good. Then they overtook all their regional competition. Now they have to fight the new company on their own ground. Since the new company defined the new ground, they have the advantage.

In due course, Boeing will either do something to regain the lead (sometime in the next 30 years or so) or they will fail and be taken over by the other growing regional companies such as Embraer (just for an example and not sure of spelling).

It is just the normal life cycle of companies. Small. Growing. Middle. Growing. Big. Biggest. Decline. Bust.

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"I tell you, we are here on Earth to fart around, and don't let anybody tell you any different." Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.

[Baron rouge]

The airline has already leased four A320s from French company Debis Air Finance.

I may be wrong but DEBIS AIR FINANCE is a company from the NETHERLANDS and EUJEt leases its F100 from them as well.

[FOZ]

And I notice AirAsia have signed an MOU for 40 orders and 40 options on the 320 this week!

[johnwalton]

I may be wrong but DEBIS AIR FINANCE is a company from the NETHERLANDS and EUJEt leases its F100 from them as well.
Yep, they are part of Daimler-Chrysler if I remember rightly, based in Amsterdam.