Boeing says it will continue to persuade British Airways (BA) that its long haul aircraft stretch is right for the UK flag carrier, as it evaluates its fleet replacement needs.
Speaking at a press conference in London today (28 February) where several of Boeing”s most senior commercial managers were present, the US manufacturer outlined why it believed its stretch 747-8 would meet BA”s requirements.
BA recently unveiled large scale plans for its aircraft renewal programme ” one of the world”s most eagerly anticipated orders ” that has seen a flurry of activity from Toulouse and Seattle to Heathrow.
”With BA”s long haul evaluation, we will work closely with them to respond on every level,” said Boeing vice president (VP) sales Europe Marlin Dailey. ”We will do everything we can to demonstrate that we have the best solution.”
The Boeing team declined to be drawn on whether they were purely in London for a 747-8 media briefing, but the collective heavy weight presence of Boeing”s VP 747 customers, VP 747/747-8 program and VP sales Europe, as well as General Electrics general manager Boeing wide body marketing, is nonetheless noteworthy.
Of equal interest is the vexatious issue of wake vortex potential that so excited the UK media recently, as it questioned the separation minima for several A380s arriving into London Heathrow.
Boeing insists that the wake vortex for the upgraded 747-8 ” an aircraft extended by 5.6 m (18.4 ft) ” will be on a par with the existing 747-400 variant.
”We will have to do some validation, but the 747-400 has proved it is very safe from a separation point of view,” said Boeing VP 747/747-8 program Dan Mooney, adding: ”The 747-8 vortex will be pretty similar to the 747-400.”
The stretch aircraft will begin flight testing in early 2009 and has already confirmed 78 firm orders, mainly for its freighter version with Cargolux and Emirates, for example, purchasing ten each.
Boeing, however, pulled off a major coup at the end of last year with the news that Lufthansa has placed 20 firm orders for the intercontinental passenger version that can seat 467.