PARIS -- Aeroflot, the world's largest airline, ordered five Airbus Industrie A310-300s Wednesday in the first purchase of western-made jetliners by the Soviet carrier, executives said.
The order, estimated in value at $350 million, also made Aeroflot the largest customer of the Airbus consortium in Eastern Europe.
Airbus did not immediately disclose how much the order was worth but industry sources said the transaction would cost Aeroflot the equivalent of some $350 million. It marks the first time that the Soviet airline has decided to acquire Western-made aircraft, Airbus said.
Aeroflot will receive the Airbus A310-300's, the first widebody twins in its fleet, between November 1991 and June 1992 and will use them on international services to the Far East, Europe and North America, Airbus said.
Soviet Union Civil Aviation Vice Minister Alexander Aksenov said 'the Airbus A310 will bring Aeroflot a new tool with the highest standards of efficiency, comfort and containerised freight capability, as well as one that is ideal to develop our foreign network from Moscow, with its advantageous position on great-circle routes between East and West.'
Under the deal, Aeroflot will be the first airline to receive the 361,600 pound maximum take-off weight version of the Airbus A310-300, giving it increased payload and range flexibility. Airbus already has made an application for the required export licenses.
Airbus Industrie Managing Director Jean Pierson said, 'we are delighted to welcome the world's biggest airline into the growing Airbus customer club, particularly since it pioneers a new kind of relationship between Eastern and Western Europe.'
Aksenov and Pierson signed the contract Wednesday.
'It is a small stage in cooperation that will open up further in the future,' Aksenov said.
Aeroflot will call its Airbuses the Airbus A-310-300 Intercontinental. Each aircraft will feature widebody long-range comfort seating for 193 passengers in a three-class layout of 12 first-class seats, 35 business seats, and 146 economy seats.
Airbus said the five Intercontinentals will be powered either by General Electric CF6-80C2 or Pratt and Whitney PW4152 engines.
Airbus groups Aerospatiale of France, MBB of West Germany, British Aerospace and Casa of Spain. The Aeroflot deal brings to 612 the number of A-300s and A310s on order for a total of 71 buyers, Airbus said.
