Boeing ‘nearing’ €3.5bn 747 jumbo jet deal with Russian company
The U.S. planemaker is in advanced talks with AirBridgeCargo Airlines and its Moscow-based parent, Volga-Dnepr Group, to convert a year-old commitment into more than 10 firm orders for 747-8 freighters.
The agreement could be announced as soon as the Farnborough Airshow next month in England.
The deal would provide a crucial lifeline for the “Queen of the Skies” as Boeing tries to preserve production until the air-cargo market revives or shipping companies start to replace aging wide-body fleets.
The 747 freighter, prized for a hinged nose that allows large cargo to be loaded at the front, is Boeing’s second-most expensive commercial jet, with a list price of $379.1 million.
Buyers typically negotiate discounts.
Converting commitments to firm orders starts the process of allocating manufacturing resources and production slots to build the planes.
A representative of Volga-Dnepr declined to comment on the talks, but said the airline plans to take all 20 jumbos it committed to last year.
A Boeing spokesman declined to comment.
Sales have dwindled for Boeing’s four-engine 747 and the Airbus Group SE A380 superjumbo jetliner as airlines have shifted long-range travel to more-efficient twin-engine models like Boeing’s 777.
Boeing had just 22 unfilled orders for the 747 through May, according to its website. The planemaker halved annual output of its largest commercial jet to six planes in January.
The potential Russian saviour for the 747 - which brought long-range travel to the mass consumer market when it was introduced by Pan American World Airways in 1970 - isn’t just a Boeing customer.
Volga-Dnepr also transports large aircraft segments for Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner from suppliers to the planemaker’s factories.
