newstodate.aero
Jun 06, 2011 (newstodate): Airbus and partners' decision to shelve the conversion program for the Airbus A320 aircraft deals a major blow to the strategy by West Atlantic, the first operator slated to receive the new freighter.
-This is a disappointment. With increasing fuel costs, an
efficient freighter was a key part of the decision process to select the
A320 over the established competing products. Lowest unit cost is everything and we will now be working with our customers to find the right solution for the capacity niche we saw the A320 fill, says Russell Ladkin, West Atlantic Sales Director.
The company earlier outlined its vision for its future strategy and the role to be played by the Airbus A320 freighter:
-Our assumption is that we are seeing limited growth in our existing turboprop segment in the years to come. Much cargo now flown on short routes between, say, Paris and Amsterdam or Dusseldorf-Leipzig, will increasingly be transferred to road services as the infrastructure develops, or to high-speed train services, Peter Koster, West Air Luxembourg told newstodate in November 2010.
-Instead, new opportunities will arise for integrators providing services on longer flights within the European market, and as this develops, new freighter types providing both capacity and range will be needed, he said.
-This is a disappointment. With increasing fuel costs, an
efficient freighter was a key part of the decision process to select the
A320 over the established competing products. Lowest unit cost is everything and we will now be working with our customers to find the right solution for the capacity niche we saw the A320 fill, says Russell Ladkin, West Atlantic Sales Director.
The company earlier outlined its vision for its future strategy and the role to be played by the Airbus A320 freighter:
-Our assumption is that we are seeing limited growth in our existing turboprop segment in the years to come. Much cargo now flown on short routes between, say, Paris and Amsterdam or Dusseldorf-Leipzig, will increasingly be transferred to road services as the infrastructure develops, or to high-speed train services, Peter Koster, West Air Luxembourg told newstodate in November 2010.
-Instead, new opportunities will arise for integrators providing services on longer flights within the European market, and as this develops, new freighter types providing both capacity and range will be needed, he said.