Hanoi approves plan to buy three new planes-paper
HANOI - The government has
approved
national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines' plans to buy
three new
ATR 72-500s planes produced by an Italian-French venture
between 2001 and 2004, official media reported on Monday.
The Thoi Bao Tai Chinh Vietnam (Vietnam Financial Times)
newspaper said the airline's maximum investment in three brand
new ATR 72-500s would be $62.57 million.
ATR is a joint venture between Italy's Alenia <SIFI.MI> and
France's Aerospatiale Matra <AERO.PA>.
A Vietnam Airlines official confirmed the government had
approved the purchase of the planes instead of leasing them
under a previous plan. The official did not give any details.
The paper said Vietnam Airlines would pay for two of the
planes and 15 percent of the value of the third plane, with the
rest coming from loans.
The airline would pay $52.2 million for the planes and the
rest of its outlay would cover one spare engine, accessories
and maintenance costs.
The paper said the first plane would be delivered in the
middle of next year, the second in early 2002 and the last in
early 2004.
The airline said in January it would spend $500 million
until 2003 to buy five aircraft.
In June, state media quoted the carrier's chairman Nguyen
Sy Hung as saying it had asked for government approval to lease
three ATR-72 planes and two Boeing 767s with a view to buying
them later.
The Vietnam Airlines official did not mention plans for the
Boeings, which are made by Boeing Co <BA.N>.
According to previous state media reports, Vietnam Airlines
also plans to lease more Airbus 320s 1/8ARBU.UL 3/8 next year.
Its current fleet includes 10 dry-leased Airbus 320s, six
Boeing 767s, six turboprop ATR-72s and two Fokker 79s.
Vietnam Airlines has reported better performance this year,
saying it carried 1.35 million passengers in the first half of
this year, up 5.6 percent year-on-year.
Reuters - September 18, 2000.
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