The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] and Jet Airways, India’s largest private airline, announced that the airline has exercised options for three 777-300ER (Extended Range) airplanes.
The order, valued at more than $790 million at list prices, follows a previous order for 10 777-300ERs in September 2005, for a combined total of 13 777-300ERs. The order was recently included on the Boeing Commercial Airplanes Orders and Deliveries Web site, attributed to an unidentified customer.
„It is vital that Jet Airways continues to expand its fleet progressively to ensure its leadership position in India’s dynamic aviation market,“ said Jet Airways Chairman Naresh Goyal. „The 777’s operating efficiencies and passenger comfort play a pivotal role in our long-haul growth strategy, and will play a pivotal role as we expand our international operations.“
Jet Airways took delivery of its first 777-300ER in April. In December 2006, the airline also placed an order for 10 787 Dreamliners.
„The 777’s market-leading efficiency and passenger comfort will help our airline customers generate profitability from their operations,“ said Dinesh Keskar, Boeing Commercial Airplanes vice president, Sales. „Jet Airways is making the passenger-preferred 777 a cornerstone for its success.“
The 777 family of airplanes is popular with passengers and airlines because of its fuel-efficient twin-engine design, high reliability, low operating costs, and comfortable and spacious interior. The 777-300ER typically carries 365 passengers up to 7,930 nautical miles (14,685 kilometers).
With the 787 and 777, Boeing offers a complete family of airplanes to cover the 200- to 400-seat market segment. With complementary range, speed, efficiency and operational commonality, yet differing seating and cargo capacities, airlines can use both models in their fleets to tailor capacity to meet seasonal demand.
Jet Airways, with more than 330 daily flights to 49 destinations, operates throughout India and has international routes that include London, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Colombo and Kathmandu. The airline’s current 777-300ERs operate a Mumbai-London route. The aircraft are configured in three classes, including eight First Class suites, 30 Premiere seats and 274 Economy seats.
The 777 is the market leader in the 300- to 400-seat segment, capturing more than 65 percent of that market since its launch. The 777 has logged orders for more than 975 airplanes over the life of the program, and has more than 325 unfilled orders worth more than $82 billion at current list prices.
