Jumbo decision in May

Press, 15 April 1980, Page 1

Jumbo decision in May

By

LES BLOXHAM,

travel editor

Air New Zealand is expecting to hear very soon whether its recommendations for new wide-bod-ied aircraft will receive the Government’s blessing. Although the airline , is regaining officially tightlipped over its preference, there seems little doubt that, an order for four Boeing 747 s will be confirmed later this month if the Cabinet’s economic committee approves the estimated cost of about $3OO million. The announcement will end months of speculation on whether the airline will enlarge its fleet of McDonnell Douglas DClOs or phase them out in favour of Boeing’s big and popular work-horse. Both manufacturers have been wooing the airline for more than two years in an all-out bid to win the order. McDonnell Douglas even sent one of its senior vice-presidents, the former astronaut, Mr Charles “Pete” Conrad, to Auckland recently in what was seen as a last-ditch attempt to swing the decision to the DCIO.

Perhaps the most significant clue was contained in a report from Hong Kong last week which quoted a McDonnell Douglas executive as slaving the blame for the Mount Frebus crash “solely on pilot error.” . The comments by Captain D.. Mullin, the company’s director of flight

operations and marketing support, were hardly those to be expected from an aircraft manufacturer still hoping to clinch a multimillion dollar deal. Informed sources in Wellington are confident that the Government will give Air New Zealand permission to buy Boeing within the next week-or two, and the first of the big iumbos to display the koru could be in service before the end of next year. The others would be delivered progressively during 1982. However, such a move would not imply that the airline has lost faith in the / much-maligned DCIO, an aircraft, which admirabIv. fulfilled the needs of Air New Zealand and contributed significantly to its

financial success, particularly in the mid-19705. The airline will probably retain at least four of its seven DClOs for use on its routes across the Tasman, to Hong Kong, and ultimately Tokyo after the phasing out of the DCBs. The 747 s would fly mainly between Los Angeles and Auckland, and should Singapore Airlines replace its DClOs with 7475, on the Auckland-Singapore route.

Indeed, “The Press” first reported on January 5, 1978, that the airline was seriously considering buying 747 s for its long-haul Pacific routes. In an exclusive. interview, the chief executive (Mr M. R. Davis), said, that the airline wanted to increase its capacity while retaining

the same range capability of the DCIO. The Boeing 747 was the only contender: the longpromised stretched version of the DCIO was then, and still is, on the drawing boards of McDonnell Douglas.“The Press” interview revealed that Air New Zealand would probably buy three of the Boeing jumbos which, at the time, would have cost about $4O million each. Today they cost about $65 million each. They are a much bigger aircraft than the DCIO and can carry up to 550 passengers in an all-economy configuration. Air New Zealand, however, would undoubtedly insist on a first-class section possibly with sleep-

erette-type seats in the upstairs lounge. This would allow a total capacity of about 385, 120 more than the DClOs. Freight capacity would be about three times greater at 18,000 kg. . A spokesman for the airline yesterday denied . a suggestion from the Boeing organisation in Seattle that it might scrap the koru and change its livery. “Our new order will be confirmed in our present colours ' and logo,” the spokesman /-aid. . For Boeing; the sale of 747 s to Air New Zealand will hold a special significance. In 1916 the first two aircraft built by William E. Boeing were bought by the New Zealand Government- ;/