French Air Austral orders two Boeing 777-200LRs

FRENCH colonial carrier Air Austral has ordered two Boeing Long Range 777-200LR Worldliners, the US aircraft manufacturer has announced at Britain's biannual Farnborough air show.

The order is valued at US$501 million at list prices. The aircraft orders were previously listed on Boeing's Orders & Deliveries website as unidentified.

Air Austral is an airline based on the French island colony of Reunion off Madagascar in the southern Indian Ocean, a resort area famous for outdoor adventures in its mountainous volcanic interior.

"The 777-200LR is the only wide-body aircraft that can fly non-stop to Paris with a full payload from our short runway on the island of Mayotte," said Air Austral chairman and CEO Gerard Etheve.

Said Boeing vice president Marlin Dailey: "Air Austral has a long experience with Boeing products. Its current fleet of two 777-300ERs, three 777-200ERs and two 737s consistently delivers superior economic value and schedule reliability."

In addition, Air Austral will receive two new 737-800s at the end of 2010, a third leased 777-300ER early next year as well as these two new 777-200LR in mid-2011 and 2012. The long-range 777-200LRs will add performance and capacity to help Air Austral meets its growth objectives.
(Source:www.schednet.com)