Monday 13 December 2010

Air Algérie's plans to buy new planes


Air Algérie's CEO, Abdelwahid Bouabdallah, announced on Wednesday 8th December that the airline, recently investigated by the European aviation authority, will soon be buying 11 new aircraft. These will comprise “four cargo aircraft, four for medical evacuation and three jet planes (details not given).”

Bouabdallah also confirmed that of the 15 new aircraft bought recently, seven have been delivered while four others are expected in March 2011. He also confirmed that the company was negotiating the opening of a new Algiers to New York service, and that he was optimistic about its outcome.

A WikiLeaks report, as yet unverified, indicates that the American diplomats successfully lobbied President Bouteflika for Air Algérie to buy these 11 planes from Boeing rather than its European rival Airbus. This may explain the lack of detail in Bouabdallah's announcement.

For more news and expert analysis about Algeria please see Algeria Focus and Algeria Politics & Security.

© 2010 Menas Associates

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