Russia’s Aeroflot will delay delivery of its 22 Airbus A350 XWBs to between 2018 and 2023. Deliveries were originally scheduled from between 2018 and 2020. The decision was approved at a company shareholders meeting
The carrier did not comment on the move, but industry experts say there are two possible reasons for the delay.
One is that Aeroflot has converted part of its A350-800 order into -900s. The company said it will now get 8 -800s and 14 -900s, though earlier the order was split into 18 -800s and 4 -900s.
The second possible reason is the carrier’s order for 16 Boeing 777s, which experts believe could cause overcapacity in the widebody segment of the Russian market. Deliveries started at the beginning of the year.
Aeroflot shareholders approved the change to the makeup of its order for 22 A350s. As part of the original deal signed in summer 2007, the airline planned to take 18 A350-800s and four A350-900s. Now Aeroflot wants to have more of the larger -900s, bringing their number to 14 while the -800 order is reduced from 18 to eight. According to an Aeroflot report, the deal is valued at $3.1 million, not counting custom duties.
The aircraft are expected to begin entering the airline's fleet in 2018, but the order conversion extends the delivery period to 2023. If deliveries are delayed, Airbus will grant a $25 million discount for another Aeroflot order for five Airbus A321-200s, according to the airline's report. Leasing agent GTLK took the $291.5 million order on behalf of the airline, and will lease the -200s to Aeroflot for 12 years. The carrier already has two of the CFM56-5B3/3-powered A321s in operation; the others are expected to be delivered by the end of the year.
Aeroflot fleet includes 22 Airbus A330s, 23 A321s, 51 A320s and 15 A319s; four Boeing 777s, five 767s and one 737; six Ilyushin Il-96s; and 10 Sukhoi Superjet 100s.
Based on the article “Aeroflot plans fleet growth but delays A350 until 2018” published in Flight Global
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