Eight A320s To Be Delivered In 2008-2010

In what British Airways (BA) is calling "the first step towards a single short-haul fleet" across its network, the company announced Friday it ordered eight new Airbus A320 aircraft for delivery 2008-2010.

BA currently has a short-haul fleet of 67 Airbus aircraft; the order will boost the Airbus short-haul fleet to 79. The list price for an Airbus A320 is $66 million.

Additionally, BA will upgrade the Gatwick short-haul fleet, replacing the oldest 14 Boeing 737s with Airbus A319 aircraft, the company reported.

Said Willie Walsh, British Airways' chief executive, "We've made considerable progress at Gatwick, particularly on costs. Gatwick is an important part of our short-haul strategy and replacing the older Boeing 737 fleet with Airbus aircraft will give us flexibility across both airports. This is the first step towards a single short-haul fleet."

At Heathrow, the airline has a short-haul fleet composed of 33 Airbus A319 aircraft, 26 Airbus A320 aircraft, 8 Airbus A321 aircraft, 13 Boeing 757 aircraft, and 7 Boeing 767 aircraft.

BA will place a major order for replacement and growth wide-bodied aircraft later this year for delivery in the next decade. No announcement as to which aircraft manufacturer will get the order has been made.

In February, as ANN reported, the company announced it was going with Boeing for the issue of 'commonality' in its decision to purchase four Boeing 777-200ERs to expand its long-haul fleet.

FMI: www.britishairways.com, www.airbus.com