The American aviation support company has quoted a price of $104.8 million for each jet, and said that it would deliver the first of the two planes by mid-April, five months prior to the proposed deadline.
“After the board gives its go-ahead to appoint the lowest bidder, we will ask the company to submit letters of intent,” said Kansakar. “A memorandum of understanding will then be signed before entering into contract negotiations.”
A purchase agreement will be signed after the negotiations when the cost of the aircraft will be finalised, he added. “So the 'offer price' and the 'contract price' may be slightly different.” Kansakar said that the entire process could be completed within three weeks.
A notice inviting proposals from aircraft manufacturers, airlines, aircraft leasing companies and bankers for two Airbus A330-200 aircraft was issued on September 26.
Buddhi Sagar Lamichhane, joint secretary of the Tourism Ministry, who sits on the NAC board, said that the board would review the evaluation report before allowing the corporation to confirm the order. “If necessary, a sub-committee will be constituted.”
The national flag carrier has planned to induct one A330 aircraft into its fleet by September 2017 and another by March 2018. NAC has stipulated that the jets should not have more than 1,000 flight hours on them, and that the date of manufacture should not be before January 2014. The A330-200 it plans to buy can accommodate up to 280 passengers in a two-class layout.
Post a Comment