Wirraway
31st Jan 2005, 07:37
AAP
Boeing seeks feedback from Qantas
January 31, 2005 - 3:09PM
US aircraft maker Boeing Co said it was seeking feedback from Qantas Airways Ltd on a stretched model of the well known 747 long haul aircraft - its answer to the double decker Airbus 380 superjumbo.
Even so, the company continued to showcase its new generation 300 seat 787 aircraft to Qantas and would be "thrilled" if the carrier signed up to the program, Boeing vice president of 787 sales John Feren said.
"Their fleet studies are beginning to consider what the alternatives are," said Mr Feren, who was meeting Qantas executives in Sydney.
"They have (also) expressed an interest to us in the Boeing 777-300ER and we have just mentioned this airplane to them, 747 Advanced.
"It's fair to say that Qantas is collecting data and is analysing the situation."
The Boeing 747 Advanced can carry up to 500 passengers, uses the same engine and cockpit technology as the 787 and can fly more than 14,816 kilometres.
The Airbus A380 can carry up to 550 passengers and has a range of 14,800 kilometres.
"We're having conversations with airline customers, we're putting together what we think is a concept that we're going to take to the market place and we will see what feedback we get," Mr Feren told journalists here.
Qantas has ordered 12 A380s - the aircraft was launched a amid much fanfare last month in France - it intends to use on long haul routes from Australia to Los Angeles.
Boeing last week announced it now had a total of 186 orders for the new 787 Dreamliner, formerly known as the 7E7.
The name was finalised after the company received orders from the People's Republic of China for 60 of the planes.
In many Asian cultures the number eight represents good luck and prosperity.
Boeing will deliver the planes to six carriers - Air China, China Eastern Airlines, Hainan Airlines, Shanghai Airlines and Xiamen Airlines - in time for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.
Mr Feren said while Boeing was behind on its order targets for the 787 - it had aimed to reach 200 planes by the end of 2004 - he expected more orders to be confirmed in the near future.
"Being behind a very ambitious target is not a great disappointment," he said.
"We are pleased with what we have got and we expect to have many more orders during the course of 2005."
Mr Feren said Boeing had not experienced any negative impact on sale of the 787 due to fanfare surrounding the A380.
"While it's a tremendous industrial accomplishment that can be viewed and acknowledged, it has not appreciably changed the fact that people want to fly point to point, people want to avoid major hubs where possible," he said.
"We have had debates with Airbus about what the size of the 550 seat market is.
"But I don't think anyone believes there are more 550 seat airplanes to be sold than 200-300 seat airplane."
Boeing is pitching the tri-class 787, its first new model in 15 years, as a breakthrough in leaner and lighter aircraft engineering.
It is counting on strong demand for aircraft in the Asia Pacific region to drive orders of the 787, followed by the Middle East, then Europe, Africa, South America and North America.
"It is our long term view that 70 per cent of sales will be for growth and 30 per cent for replacement," Mr Feren said.
© 2005 AAP
Brought
=========================================
Boeing seeks feedback from Qantas
January 31, 2005 - 3:09PM
US aircraft maker Boeing Co said it was seeking feedback from Qantas Airways Ltd on a stretched model of the well known 747 long haul aircraft - its answer to the double decker Airbus 380 superjumbo.
Even so, the company continued to showcase its new generation 300 seat 787 aircraft to Qantas and would be "thrilled" if the carrier signed up to the program, Boeing vice president of 787 sales John Feren said.
"Their fleet studies are beginning to consider what the alternatives are," said Mr Feren, who was meeting Qantas executives in Sydney.
"They have (also) expressed an interest to us in the Boeing 777-300ER and we have just mentioned this airplane to them, 747 Advanced.
"It's fair to say that Qantas is collecting data and is analysing the situation."
The Boeing 747 Advanced can carry up to 500 passengers, uses the same engine and cockpit technology as the 787 and can fly more than 14,816 kilometres.
The Airbus A380 can carry up to 550 passengers and has a range of 14,800 kilometres.
"We're having conversations with airline customers, we're putting together what we think is a concept that we're going to take to the market place and we will see what feedback we get," Mr Feren told journalists here.
Qantas has ordered 12 A380s - the aircraft was launched a amid much fanfare last month in France - it intends to use on long haul routes from Australia to Los Angeles.
Boeing last week announced it now had a total of 186 orders for the new 787 Dreamliner, formerly known as the 7E7.
The name was finalised after the company received orders from the People's Republic of China for 60 of the planes.
In many Asian cultures the number eight represents good luck and prosperity.
Boeing will deliver the planes to six carriers - Air China, China Eastern Airlines, Hainan Airlines, Shanghai Airlines and Xiamen Airlines - in time for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.
Mr Feren said while Boeing was behind on its order targets for the 787 - it had aimed to reach 200 planes by the end of 2004 - he expected more orders to be confirmed in the near future.
"Being behind a very ambitious target is not a great disappointment," he said.
"We are pleased with what we have got and we expect to have many more orders during the course of 2005."
Mr Feren said Boeing had not experienced any negative impact on sale of the 787 due to fanfare surrounding the A380.
"While it's a tremendous industrial accomplishment that can be viewed and acknowledged, it has not appreciably changed the fact that people want to fly point to point, people want to avoid major hubs where possible," he said.
"We have had debates with Airbus about what the size of the 550 seat market is.
"But I don't think anyone believes there are more 550 seat airplanes to be sold than 200-300 seat airplane."
Boeing is pitching the tri-class 787, its first new model in 15 years, as a breakthrough in leaner and lighter aircraft engineering.
It is counting on strong demand for aircraft in the Asia Pacific region to drive orders of the 787, followed by the Middle East, then Europe, Africa, South America and North America.
"It is our long term view that 70 per cent of sales will be for growth and 30 per cent for replacement," Mr Feren said.
© 2005 AAP
Brought
=========================================