Boeing pitches 777 to THAI

AVIATION

The US planemaker Boeing will be strenuously promoting its B777 series as replacements for the ageing high-capacity jets Thai Airways International will be retiring in the next five years.

Boeing is positioning its 777 family as a highly efficient replacement for the 747 series.

Boeing believes the track record, updated technology, and improved efficiency and economy of one of its flagship planes will have strong appeal in the flag carrier's forthcoming major fleet modernisation plan.

On THAI's drawing board is a plan to acquire four to six wide-body long-haul aircraft and five to seven twin-aisle jets for medium-haul operations over the next five years, according to a THAI insider.

Over the long term, the national carrier will also be seeking to replace its old aircraft with new ones as part of a strategy to rejuvenate its fleet, whose average age is 11.6 years, in order to appeal to passengers and take advantage of better fuel efficiency.

New planes are meant to replace THAI's old jets such as B747-400s and Airbus's A300-600s that are approaching their end of service. These planes are less economically efficient and face future flying restrictions in some regions due to high carbon dioxide emissions.

Larry Loftis, vice-president for Boeing's 777 programme, sees the B777-300ER, the long-range variant of the twin-engine B777 series, as an ideal replacement for THAI's 18 B747-400s, some of which are 15 years old.

The sizes of the B747-400 and B777- 300ER are similar, their ranges are comparable, and the fuel efficiency from operating a twin-jet 777 versus the four-engine jumbo jet are reasons for THAI to consider it as a replacement, he said.

The 777 costs $257 million or more depending on options, and can carry up to 365 passengers 14,685 kilometres, such as Bangkok to New York, non-stop.

"We've seen, over the last few years, a number of operators replacing their old 747s with the triple seven," he said.

Chris Flint, director of sales for Boeing Commercial Airplanes in Thailand, said: "Replacing the 747-400s with 777-300ERs makes sense for European Union routes because of the unknown impacts of cap-and-trade emissions policies."

Boeing will also push its new version of the 747 jumbo jet expected to be ready for flight early next year.

"For large markets that might have capacity restrictions, we certainly would recommend replacing the 747-400 with the new 747-8," said Mr Flint. "It really comes down to the size of the market, the frequency of service, the airline business model, and the nature of the market."

Boeing believes its 777 bests European rival Airbus's A340-600, a similar four-engine jet, due to new improvements.

"We tried to take technologies that were evolving with our 787 and 747-8 and apply them to the 777 family as part of the refinement," said Anita Polt, regional director for product development at Boeing.

Among the improvements is a new wing design featuring raked winglets, more efficient engines that emit 5-13% less carbon dioxide while being quieter, and greater application of advanced materials such as alloys and composites.Boeing said sales performance of its B777 series over Airbus's A340 family bear these differences out.

Since the 777 programme was launched in October 1990 until July of this year, Boeing has received 1,116 orders by 56 operators including THAI. Airbus has only 558 orders, giving Boeing a 66% share.

There are 20 older B777 series aircraft operating in THAI's fleet. The flag carrier also has 10 older A340 series and 12 A330-300 jetliners operating, with eight more A330-300s slated for delivery between 2009 and 2010.

As airlines delay deliveries of new aircraft due to the industry downturn, Boeing executives believe they can meet an early delivery timeframe for 777s if THAI requires.

Boeing is shifting down its 777 production rate from seven a month to five in mid-2010. It also does not believe its much-delayed 787 Dreamliner will compete with the 777 but will function as a complement.

The US planemaker's initial focus is to roll out a small version of the 787 capable of carrying 210 to 250 passengers up to 15,200 km. It would be smaller than the 777.