PM From India, joined Feb 2005, 6715 posts, RR: 65 Reply 2, posted (1 year 6 months 2 weeks 6 days 1 hour ago) and read 6800 times:
"...to be delivered between 2018 and 2012."
Glad to see the Flight's sub-editors are on the ball as always.
But the news is not unexpected and it is A GOOD THING. Qantas don't need these planes these days but sundry Chinese airlines probably do. For what it's worth, I assume these aren't in addition to the ten widely-rumoured to have been (kind of) ordered earlier this year but just a jump up the queue.
N14AZ From Germany, joined Feb 2007, 2313 posts, RR: 25 Reply 5, posted (1 year 6 months 2 weeks 6 days 1 hour ago) and read 6596 times:
Quoting someone83 (Reply 3): First they should firm up their order....
Exactly what I thought. From the outside it looks a little bit childish: I want these big toys! I want them now! ... but I don't want to confirm my order.
PM From India, joined Feb 2005, 6715 posts, RR: 65 Reply 6, posted (1 year 6 months 2 weeks 6 days 1 hour ago) and read 6546 times:
Quoting N14AZ (Reply 5): From the outside it looks a little bit childish: I want these big toys! I want them now! ... but I don't want to confirm my order.
I'm sure the airline wants to confirm as soon as possible. But I assume that Beijing is holding them back.
scouseflyer From United Kingdom, joined Apr 2006, 3254 posts, RR: 10 Reply 7, posted (1 year 6 months 2 weeks 6 days ago) and read 6448 times:
Quoting someone83 (Reply 3): First they should firm up their order....
Quoting PM (Reply 6):
I'm sure the airline wants to confirm as soon as possible. But I assume that Beijing is holding them back.
My guess on this is that could well be the case - it woulf be unusual recently for an order for a Chinese carrier to be announced by the airline before it was announced as part of a larger order by CASSG (might of spelt that wrong!).
abba From Denmark, joined Jun 2005, 1087 posts, RR: 0 Reply 9, posted (1 year 6 months 2 weeks 6 days ago) and read 6256 times:
Quoting scouseflyer (Reply 7): My guess on this is that could well be the case - it woulf be unusual recently for an order for a Chinese carrier to be announced by the airline before it was announced as part of a larger order by CASSG (might of spelt that wrong!).
There are often also political considerations involved in Chinese announcements of aircraft purchases. Often it will be done in relation to state visits either by European leaders in China or by Chinese leaders in Europe (when it is Boeing it is the US of cause). This should not be forgotten either!
However, is Hong Kong Airlines under mainland control in these matters or does the principle of "one nation two systems" apply here?
francoflier From France, joined Oct 2001, 3195 posts, RR: 10 Reply 10, posted (1 year 6 months 2 weeks 5 days 12 hours ago) and read 4935 times:
Quoting abba (Reply 9): or does the principle of "one nation two systems" apply here?
That principle is becoming more of an vague slogan than a reality for anything in HK...
In any case, HK airline is firmly dependent on mainland funds from Hainan airlines.
Just a few years ago, HKA was struggling to barely maintain a few 737's worth of an operation up and running, and I'm still unconvinced they can effectively grow into a successful widebody operator, let alone an A380 operator. Of course, their future very much depends on Hainan airlines, who might just use those birds if HKA doesn't deliver.
Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit posting...
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