Uzbekistan, Tashkent, Jan. 26 / Trend D. Azizov /
The Uzbek national airline, Uzbekistan Airways, will receive four A320-200 aircrafts within a contract with Airbus Industrie by late 2011, Chairman of the Board Valeriy Tyan told media.
"We will get four A320-200 aircrafts in 2011 within the strategy to modernize the fleet of the company. The contract will be fully implemented," he said.
It was reported that the contract for delivery of four A320-200 aircrafts, costing $214 million under the financial lease, was signed in December 2008.
The contract is financed due to the credit of the Reconstruction and Development Fund to the amount of $107 million, foreign loans - $85.6 million and the airline's own funds - $21.4 million.
He said that a contract signed with Airbus Industrie in June 2007 to supply six A320-200 aircrafts worth $277 million under financial lease was implemented in early 2011. CFM International, a joint venture of French Snecma and American General Electric, supplied engines within the contract.
The contract was financed by a loan from the Uzbek Reconstruction and Development Fund worth $138.5 million, the loan of French bank Natexis to the amount of $111 million and Uzbekistan Airways' own funds of $27.5 million.
According to the plans of the airline, A320-200 aircrafts will replace the fleet of Tu-154, withdrawn from service since January 1, 2011.
It was reported that the airline plans to buy 16 western Boeing and Airbus aircrafts worth $1.136 billion, as well as ten A320-200 aircrafts, four Boeing 767-300ER, and two Boeing 787-800, under financial leasing in 2010-2016.
Uzbekistan Airways, the monopoly carrier in Uzbekistan, is wholly owned by the state.
The fleet includes 24 western aircrafts, including 10 Boeing (five Boeing 767-300 and five Boeing 757-200), three Airbus A310, six Airbus A320, three medium-RJ-85, and two cargo A300 -600F.
Uzbek airline makes flights to 21 cities of Europe, the United States, the Middle East, Asia and 22 cities of CIS countries.
Uzbekistan Airways increased the transportation of passengers by 14.3 percent up to 2.16 million passengers in 2010 compared to 2009.