SIA wooed by Airbus and Boeing

SIA wooed by Airbus and Boeing

SINGAPORE (AFP): Singapore Airlines (SIA) said Monday it is
being courted by rival aircraft manufacturers Airbus Industrie
and Boeing as it prepares to replace 15 of the oldest jets in its
fleet.

The carrier, the most profitable in Asia, is planning to
replace 15 Airbus A310-300 jets, a spokesman said.

The twin aisle jets, which carry up to 184 passengers each,
have been used to ply Asian routes since 1982. The average age of
the SIA fleet is five years and seven months.

The spokesman declined to say when a final decision would be
made on how many and what type of aircraft would be purchased.

A spokesman for Airbus Industrie confirmed the European
consortium has submitted a bid to SIA but declined to provide
details.

"The proposals that we make are confidential," he told AFP.

An aviation industry source told AFP the bid from Airbus was
likely to include A330 jets which can carry up to 335 passengers
and the 180-seat A321 aircraft.

The A330 carries a price tag of US$115-140 million each and
the A321 costs $60-65 million each.

A spokesman for Seattle-based Boeing also refused to disclose
details of their offer, and said the carrier's decision could be
months away.

"The next step is to let the airline decide," he said.

Aviation analysts expected the Boeing bid to center around the
twin aisle 767-400ER mid-range jet, which can seat 245-375
passengers depending the configuration.

The jet costs between $115-127 million and competes with
Airbus' A330 family in the 240-300 seat segment.