EVA to buy 8 Airbus jets

EVA to buy 8 Airbus jets

TAIPEI (DPA): Taiwan's EVA Airways signed a contract with Airbus Industrie on Monday to purchase two A330-200 passenger jets and lease another six to replace eight Boeing B767s.

EVA will pay 320 million U.S. dollars to buy two A330-200 jets. The other six will be leased through U.S. aircraft-leasing firm GE Capital Aviation Services.

The eight 260-seat jets will be delivered between 2003 and 2004, EVA Vice president Su Yi-hung said.

EVA will use General Electric's CF-680 engines to power its twin- engine A330-200.

A330-200 can fly without refueling for 12,038 kilometers, the distance from Taipei to Australia and New Zealand.

EVA, Taiwan's second-largest international airline, has 36 aircraft. It plans to expand its fleet to 53 by 2005.