Poland's LOT Chooses Boeing Over Airbus

Poland's national carrier on Wednesday chose new jets from Boeing Co. instead of from Europe's Airbus consortium.

LOT ordered seven of Boeing's new 787 Dreamliner aircraft, a model slated to go into service in 2008, company spokesman Leszek Chorzewski said. He declined to provide the value of the contract.

A Boeing statement said "the value of the order according to catalogue prices" is $910 million. Airlines typically negotiate steep discounts.

"From among two very good aircraft, LOT has chosen the one that has better fitted the company's individual plan for long-distance routes in the next 15 to 20 years," Chorzewski said, referring to rival model Airbus A350.

LOT's search for new planes spurred leaders of France, Britain and Germany to send letters to Poland's Prime Minister Marek Belka in February in support of Airbus as it battles the U.S. aerospace company for market share.

The Polish carrier also has a purchase option for two more 787s and purchase rights for an additional five, it said. Options allow the airline to buy the planes at the same price as those it has already purchased and gives the new order the same production priority. Rights don't confer that status.

The new planes will replace six Boeing 767s LOT flies between Europe and America.

"Our company is modernizing and upgrading its fleet," Chorzewski said, adding that the Boeings on the U.S. routes could remain in service for several more years.

Poland's national carrier currently has an all-Boeing fleet of 19 large jets, plus 20 smaller Embraer jets and 13 propeller-driven Aerospatiale-Alenias.

Delivery is expected to begin in the second half of 2008, Chorzewski said. The planes will be fitted with European Rolls Royce Trent 1000 engines.

Shares of Boeing fell 53 cents to close at $64.50 Wednesday on the New York Stock Exchange. The Chicago-based company's machinist union went on strike Friday, and no commercial planes are being produced.

(Source: AP)

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