Aer Lingus in talks for 12 A350 aircraft

Lennoxschips

This is an oldish article I bumped into when reading about the A350, but I thought it might be interesting. My apologies if the subject has been covered already.

Airbus Parent To Discuss A350 Launch

Airbus will take plans for a new mid-sized airliner to the board of parent firm EADS next week and hopes to make an announcement on the challenger to Boeing's 7E7 by year's end.

Chief Executive Noel Forgeard said he was "reasonably optimistic" that the proposed A350 model would receive backing, clearing the way for a showdown between the world's two largest planemakers in the lucrative niche for aircraft with 200 to 300 seats.

Tipped as a possible EADS co-chief executive next year, Forgeard also told reporters that the parent firm had not been behind leaked word of a possible takeover of French defense firm Thales which rocked both shares last week.

"The campaign of leaks is detrimental to the project if it were to materialize one day," he said, adding that UK authorities were angered at not being advised about the matter.

It "triggered big concern on the UK side. It is never good to antagonize customers. Preliminary contacts should have been taken," he said. "It did not come from us, and I think it did not come from Thales," Forgeard said of the speculation about such a deal.

He said the matter of who holds the co-chief executive position held by EADS' Philippe Camus after next summer was not yet a high priority.

"It is not an issue at the moment... I have seen hints that the main shareholders have started to examine what the company might look like from next July," he said.

A350 MODEL

Airbus marketing chief John Leahy also spoke to reporters in the southern city of Toulouse on Tuesday about plans for the A350, which would be based on the existing Airbus A330 but with new engines, a new wing and greater use of lightweight composites.

"We are looking at the A350 (after) airlines asked if we could build an A330 that flies longer," Leahy said.

"Will we launch the 350? I hope we do. A lot of airlines are hoping we do... I hope we have something more to say by the end of the year."

Irish carrier Aer Lingus is already in talks with Airbus about the purchase of 12 A350s, German newspaper Handelsblatt said, quoting company sources.

Airbus and Boeing have been locked in a dogfight for market share for years, with Airbus set to start delivering its much bigger 555 seat A380 in 2006, two years ahead of the debut of Boeing's 7E7.

Airbus believes airlines want to ease airport congestion by using much bigger planes such as the four engined A380 to make more use of limited landing slots.

Boeing thinks the bulk of future demand lies in airlines wanting to fly passengers on more non-stop routes from more airports, thereby taking the pressure off busy 'hub' airports.

With this vision in mind, Boeing is developing the 7E7, a twin-engined plane that will be tuned either for long or short hops, having dropped plans for a successor to its 747 jumbo jet.

The A350 alongside the A380 would allow Airbus to go after both markets.

Forgeard has said Airbus could spend around EUR4 billion (USD$5.23 billion) to develop it...

http://news.airwise.com/stories/2004/11/1101237119.html

So what exactly are Aer Lingus planning on doing with 12 A350s? Asian destinations?

BuffyBot

Irish carrier Aer Lingus is already in talks with Airbus about the purchase of 12 A350s, German newspaper Handelsblatt said, quoting company sources.

I think this was under Walsh's watch.

Rumour had it they were going to do a lot of low cost, long haul destinations (Oz, SA, US destinations when Open Skies comes about, etc) using Dublin as a hub and feeding in passengers attracted to the low-fares model with connections from their UK/European destinations. Whether that was the truth, or it will ever come about with Walsh gone who knows.

Victor

http://www.eads.net/frame/lang/en/800/content/OF00000000400004/3/82/33205823.html

I'm thinking American west coast, although it can stretch that little bit further.