Japanese airlines plan A350 orders – report
Japan’s two biggest airlines are reported to be in talks with Airbus over possible orders for its new A350 aircraft.
Citing three people said to be familiar with the discussions, Bloomberg reported today (15 May 2013) that Japan Airlines (JAL) and All Nippon Airways (ANA) are both considering the new A350-1000 model to replace their older Boeing 777 aircraft. The JAL deal could total up to 20 aircraft, the report stated.
If realised, the A350 orders would mark a major setback for Boeing. ANA and JAL are currently the two largest operators of the B787 Dreamliner – a rival for the A350 – and JAL has never placed an order with Airbus in its history. The decision to move to the A350 would be perceived as a vote of no confidence in Boeing, following the recent problems with the Dreamliner.
Airbus unveiled its first painted A350 this week, and will undertake its first flight tests this summer. The aircraft is due to enter service with Qatar Airways in mid-2014. The larger A350-1000 model however, will not be available until around 2017.
ANA is still waiting on the delivery of 49 new Dreamliners and two B777-200ERs, while JAL is expecting to take delivery of 38 more B787s in the coming years.