Lufthansa to order five new Boeing 777 freighters

GERMAN airline Lufthansa has unveiled plans to buy 35 new aircraft for a total value of almost US$4 billion at list prices, to support ongoing modernisation and expansion of the group's fleet. The new aircraft will be financed through a combination of the group's own assets and "external financial resources," it said.


The order is for five Boeing 777 freighters for its logistics business segment, and 25 Airbus A320s and five A321s for the passenger side of the business that will be deployed on short-haul routes within Europe.


The five new Boeing 777 freighters are slated to join the fleet from 2013. The carrier said they will be "utilised to seize growth opportunities fuelled by rising demand."


Deliveries of the 30 passenger aircraft are scheduled to begin in 2016.


"Investment in new aircraft strengthens the competitiveness of airlines in the group. Besides greater fuel efficiency, all the models on order will help lower operating costs as well as noise levels and emissions. The orders are yet further steps in Lufthansa's ongoing fleet modernisation and expansion policy," a statement from the carrier said.


It said the passenger aircraft offer 15 per cent lower fuel burn compared to other similar models on the market and emit 10 to 15 dB less noise than the current set limit.
(Source:http://www.schednet.com)