KOREAN AIR ORDERS FIVE NEW BOEING 747-8 INTERCONTINENTAL

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 7 (Bernama) -- Boeing has announced an order for
five 747-8 Intercontinental jetliners by Korean Air, the first Asian airline, to
order the passenger version of the new fuel-efficient plane.

In a statement, the aircraft maker said the airplanes have a total average
list-price value of US$1.5 billion and Korean Air had arrangements to
operate seven 747-8 Freighters.

Jim Albaugh, president and chief executive officer of Boeing Commercial
Airplanes said, the technologically advanced 747-8 Intercontinental is
particularly well-suited for Korean Air’s operations.

"It will provide exceptional levels of passenger comfort, greatly enhanced
fuel efficiency, and reduced emissions and noise. The announcement comes at an
exciting time, as we move closer to the first 747-8 freighter flight in early
2010", he added.

Korean Air plans on flying the 747-8 Intercontinental on long-haul routes to
the Americas and Europe.

"The 747-8 Intercontinental fills the void between the 300 to and 550-seat
airplanes in our future fleet," said Won Tae Cho, managing vice president of
Korean Air Passenger Business Division.

He said the technological enhancements Boeing has made to the airplane would
deliver exceptional economics, enabling Korean Air to provide excellence in
flight to customers.

The new 747-8 Intercontinental is stretched 18.3 ft (5.6 m) from the 747-400
to provide 467 seats in a three-class configuration, an additional 51 seats.

It also offers a range of 8,000 nautical miles (14,815-km.

Using the new GEnx-2B engines, the 747-8 provides airlines a quieter, more
fuel-efficient airplane.

It also provides nearly equivalent trip costs and 13 percent lower seat-mile
costs than the 747-400, plus 26 percent greater cargo volume.

The 747-8 also features a new wing design and an upgraded flight deck.

The airplane interior incorporates features from the 787 Dreamliner,
including a new curved, upswept architecture that will give passengers a greater
sense of space and comfort, while adding more room for personal belongings.

The architecture will be accentuated by lighting technology that provides
smooth transitions for a more restful flight.

The 747 programme is in the later stages of the 747-8 Intercontinental
design phase.

Assembly on the airplane is set to begin around mid-2010, with the first
delivery of the passenger version, scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2011.

With the addition of the Korean Air order, Boeing has secured 110 orders for
the 747-8.

Thirty-two of the orders are for the 747-8 Intercontinental and the
remaining 78, for the 747-8 Freighter.

-- BERNAMA