newstodate.aero
Aug 1, 2006 (newstodate): Finnair remains confident with its decision to seek its future with Airbus aircraft on the intercontinental routes.
But the introduction, originally planned for 2011 and later re-sceduled for Spring 2012, of the nine A350 ordered will be delayed until 2013 due to the manufacturer's ongoing re-definition of the aircraft.
-We are pleased that we will be acquiring an even better aircraft than we originally ordered in December 2005. Naturally the changes in the release timetable require us to make adjustments, but we have negotiated on these interim arrangements with Airbus in a constructive atmosphere. Our long-haul traffic growth will continue and our fleet renewal programme is moving forward, says Henrik Arle, Finnair Deputy CEO and head of Scheduled Passenger Traffic.
-We have begun the implementation of the Airbus A340 aircraft to our fleet. We will now increase the number of A340 aircraft in service annually until deliveries of the ordered A350 begin. Operation of our Boeing MD-11 will continue in the coming years, and our leasing agreements contain flexible conditions for extending the lease periods, he says.
This year Finnair added its eighth MD-11 to satisfy increasing demand in Asian traffic, but the MD-11 aircraft was earlier to be phased out from the Finnair fleet by 2012.
But the introduction, originally planned for 2011 and later re-sceduled for Spring 2012, of the nine A350 ordered will be delayed until 2013 due to the manufacturer's ongoing re-definition of the aircraft.
-We are pleased that we will be acquiring an even better aircraft than we originally ordered in December 2005. Naturally the changes in the release timetable require us to make adjustments, but we have negotiated on these interim arrangements with Airbus in a constructive atmosphere. Our long-haul traffic growth will continue and our fleet renewal programme is moving forward, says Henrik Arle, Finnair Deputy CEO and head of Scheduled Passenger Traffic.
-We have begun the implementation of the Airbus A340 aircraft to our fleet. We will now increase the number of A340 aircraft in service annually until deliveries of the ordered A350 begin. Operation of our Boeing MD-11 will continue in the coming years, and our leasing agreements contain flexible conditions for extending the lease periods, he says.
This year Finnair added its eighth MD-11 to satisfy increasing demand in Asian traffic, but the MD-11 aircraft was earlier to be phased out from the Finnair fleet by 2012.