Finnair mulls govt proposal for purchase of Airbus crisis rescue aircraft |
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Thu, 18 Jan 2007 17:04
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HELSINKI (AFX) - Finnair said it is considering a proposal by a Finnish defence ministry report that it acquire at least two Airbus A330 MRTT (Multi Role Tanker Transport) wide-bodied aircraft that the state could lease for transporting troops and possible evacuations in crisis situations.The Finnish state is Finnair's largest shareholder.'We really want to see the business case before we agree to start cooperation,' Finnair's investor relations director Taneli Hassinen told AFX. The report, published today by a defence ministry working group, estimated the cost of the planes from Airbus, a unit of EADS, at around 150 mln eur a piece.That would be too costly for the defence ministry and there would not be a continuous need for the aircraft.Earlier, Finnair's CEO Jukka Hienonen said in a statement: 'We are currently working on a modernisation of our long-haul fleet and we must consider very carefully how we will implement the huge investment that lies ahead.''Irrespective of the company's ownership structure, Finnair will act in future for the good of both its Finnish and other customers as each crisis situation demands, just as we have done so previously on our own initiative.'The working group report suggests that the potential for closer cooperation with Finnair be examined by the next government.'This approach would support maintaining the state's majority of Finnair also in the future,' the report said.james.etheridge@afxnews.comje/icCOPYRIGHTCopyright AFX News Limited 2006. All rights reserved.The copying, republication or redistribution of AFX News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of AFX News.AFX News and AFX Financial News Logo are registered trademarks of AFX News Limited
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