Syria now likely to go ahead with limited Russian order for Airbus replacements

With sanctions talks stalled between the USA and Syria, Syrian Arab Airlines looks likely to be forced to go ahead with its plans to buy Tupolev aircraft despite them being less fuel efficient and more uncomfortable that western competitors

Chief Executive Officer Ghaida Abdullatif told Arabian Aerospace last year that the airline needed new aircraft to meet its growing demands. It obtained two ATR turboprop aircraft for shorthaul and regional flights but has been anxious to increase its Airbus or Boeing aircraft.

In an interview with Bloomburg news agency yesterday, Abdullatif said “We have pre-approval to buy two planes as a trial at the beginning to see if they meet our needs. We will then decide about buying more planes.”

Syria turned to Russia after U.S. sanctions stalled negotiations on the purchase of as many as 50 Airbus aircraft, Abdallah Dardari, deputy prime minister for economic affairs, said last month. He said his country was looking for planes with less than 10 percent of U.S. components, leaving Russia as Syria’s only option. The use of U.S. parts has also ruled out turning to Brazil’s Embraer and Canada’s Bombardier

Syrian Air, was set up in 1946 and its fleet includes A320s and single-aisle Boeing 727s. The U.S. imposed economic sanctions on Syria in May 2004, including a ban on transactions by U.S. entities with the Commercial Bank of Syria, the country’s largest bank. The sanctions have prevented the sale of Airbus planes to Syria because some of the company’s aircraft parts are U.S.-made.

Airbus suppliers include General Electric and United Technologies, which make aircraft engines including models built in partnership with European companies, and Goodrich Corp., the world’s biggest supplier of landing gear.

Dardari said in 2008 that Syria had plans to modernize the fleet of Syrian Arab Airlines. The carrier had sought to buy single-aisle Airbus A320s as well as twin-aisle A330, A340 and A350 models. It planned to lease four planes and then take delivery of the first 14 airliners from Airbus from 2010 to 2018 and a further 36 by 2028.

“The general number of aircraft hasn’t been decided yet as we’re still studying our needs,” Abdullatif said. “We are studying all the Russian models including Tupolev.”

ASyrian contract for the Russian Tu-204 airliners could save the Tupolev aircraft brand from extinction according to Russian media today

Atlant-Soyuz, an airline controlled by the Moscow city government and the only current customer for Tu-204 jets, recently scrapped a contract to purchase 15 of the aircraft.

Kommersant daily quoted experts as saying that if the Russian-Syrian contract is not signed soon, production of the Tu-204 would be suspended.

United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), the Russian holding company that designs and manufactures military, civilian, transport, and unmanned planes, refused to comment on the possible Russian-Syrian deal. However, a source in UAC's commercial jets department unofficially confirmed that talks were being held on the supply of two Tu-204-100Âs, Kommersant said.

Tupolev passenger jets were the core of flagship air carrier Aeroflot in the Soviet era and for a number of years after. The planes have now been completely retired from Aeroflot's fleet.

Currently the main operator of Tupolev aircraft is the West Siberian-based airline, Utair. Its air fleet comprises 28 Tu-134s and 20 Tu-154s.

Most airlines have retired their Tupolev aircraft due to their high fuel consumption and lack of cabin comfort compared to more modern rival designs.