Newsgroups: sci.aeronautics.airliners
Path: news
From: ashabana@agsm.ucla.edu (Ahmed Shabana)
Subject: Re: Boeing 747-300
X-Submission-Date: 2 Dec 92 18:35:23 GMT
References: <airliners.1992.4@ohare.Chicago.COM>
 <airliners.1992.11@ohare.Chicago.COM> <airliners.1992.25@ohare.Chicago.COM>
 <airliners.1992.59@ohare.Chicago.COM>
Message-ID: <airliners.1992.79@ohare.Chicago.COM>
Approved: kls@ohare.Chicago.COM
Sender: kls@ohare.Chicago.COM
X-Submission-Message-Id: <ashabana.723321323@uclagsm>
Date: 03 Dec 92 00:40:06 PST

drinkard@bcstec.ca.boeing.com (Terrell D. Drinkard) writes:

>In article <airliners.1992.25@ohare.Chicago.COM> kls@ohare.chicago.com (Karl Swartz) writes:
>>In article <airliners.1992.11@ohare.Chicago.COM> drinkard@bcstec.ca.boeing.com (Terrell D. Drinkard) writes:
>>>In article <airliners.1992.4@ohare.Chicago.COM> jerry@telecom.ksu.edu (Jerry And
>>
>>>>I've heard Boeing, McDonnell-Douglas and Airbus all have plans
>>>>in the works for Really Big Planes in the 600-700 passenger,
>>>>7500-8000 mile range.
>>
>>>The Boeing and the Airbus offerings in this market seem to both hover
>>>around 600 seats and 7,000 mile range.  Takeoff weights in the million
>>>pound plus range.  The anticipated market, as described by John Hayhurst,
>>>Director of New Large Airplane Division, is only a couple hundred airplanes
>>>TOTAL.  From my knothole, it looks like a prestige fight.
>>
>>That's an *awful* lot of cash to dump down a hole simply for bragging
>>rights. 

Terry ( drinkard@bcstec.boeing.com) writes: 

>It isn't just bragging rights.  Prestige has a market value.  There are
>several airlines who are not out to make a profit.  The national airlines
>of some oil rich countries for example, are not expected to make buck,
>rather to 'carry the flag'.  Thai, as another example bought 747s some
>years ago largely because of prestige.  Therefore, you have some airlines
>who fly the <superlative of your choice> airplane in the world to make a
>political statement.

While I agree with you that some airlines buy planes for prestige ( I
think the cake goes to Iran Air during the Shah days when they had several
Concordes on order), Thai is a world class airline that is profit
oriented. They have a very close relationship with KLM and are one of
the most successfull airlines in the fast growing Asian market.
Moreover they have at least 9  747's in their fleet (  6 -200, 3 -400) and an
order for 5 more -400. Such commitement to an aircraft type stems from simple
economics and not prestige.


Ahmed




--
_____________________________________________________________________
Ahmed A. Shabana	         |" Bill, now you can get rid of THAT watch"
Anderson Graduate School of Mgmt.| Omega watches commercial aired on
U.C.L.A.                         | Election day referring to Clinton's Timex