December 16, 2010
Russia's flagship airline Aeroflot said it would buy 16 new Boeing 777s over the next six years as it strives to plug the gap created by the repeatedly delayed 787 Dreamliners.
The carrier said in a statement on Thursday it had signed a preliminary agreement to take the Boeing planes over the 2012-2017 period -- prior to the receipt of a fleet of the highly anticipated 787s.
Aeroflot did not disclose financial details, but the order has a list price of USD$4.1 billion.
Aeroflot had ordered 22 787s that are now nearly three years behind delivery schedule due to labour and production problems.
The most recent test flights were halted in November after a problem with the electrical system caused a fire on one of the planes.
Aeroflot is also waiting for delayed deliveries of the smaller Superjet aircraft -- a Russian-Italian joint venture and the first passenger plane built in Russia since the fall of the Soviet Union.
Deliveries are expected until early next year.
Aeroflot said in its statement it had set up a working group with Boeing to bring about the delivery of two 787s in time for the Winter Olympics in Sochi in 2014.
(Reuters)
Home 
