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.