JAL angeblich vor A320-Bestellung

[Chris99]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=stor...ny_050113075918

 

Airbus in talks with Japan Airlines to buy 50 A320 jets: sources

 

Thu Jan 13, 2:59 AM ET

 

 

TOKYO (AFP) - Asia's biggest carrier Japan Airlines (JAL), which historically has relied on Boeing, is in talks with European consortium Airbus for an order of up to 50 short-range A320 jets, industry sources say.

 

Airbus executive vice president John Leahy told the Nihon Keizai Shimbun from Paris in the daily's Thursday evening edition that Airbus was competing with Boeing to replace about 50 older planes in the JAL fleet.

 

Airbus believes it has a 50-50 chance of winning the order of that size, a person close to the negotiations told AFP.

 

JAL is expected to make its choice between the Boeing 737 and the Airbus A320 in the coming weeks, with a decision seen as likely before the fiscal year closes at the end of March.

 

JAL asked Boeing and Airbus in October for proposals on aircrafts of about 150 seats, airline spokesman Geoffrey Tudor said.

 

"We are still studying their proposals and we haven't decided on either the number of the aircraft or when to decide and of course which type," Tudor said.

 

He said JAL saw a need for single-aisle aircraft for the growth of its domestic network, particularly in light of the expansion of Haneda airport near Tokyo.

 

Haneda, Asia's biggest airport, is primarily for domestic flights and is set to open a fourth runway in 2009, expanding by 40 percent its number of takeoff and landing slots.

 

JAL said last month it will place a firm order for 30 Boeing 7E7 Dreamliner jets with an option to buy 20 more in a crucial boost for the US giant's next-generation project which is facing a tough challenge from the just-launched Airbus A350.