Flag carrier Kuwait Airways on Monday announced plans to buy 31 new Airbuses for six billion dollars (around 5.3 billion euros) as part of a restructuring of a 2014 deal with the European aerospace giant .
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The two parties reached
this agreement after difficult negotiations following investigations into allegations of bribes surrounding the 2014 agreement which initially provided for the purchase of 25 Airbus aircraft and then increased to 28.
to agree on a major restructuring that will put Kuwait Airways (KAC) in a much better position to succeed in the next 15 years
,” KAC CEO Ali Al-Dukhan told a conference releases in Kuwait.
The restructured agreement provides for the purchase of three new Airbuses and brings the total number of aircraft purchased to 31: 9 Airbus A320neo, six A321neo, three A321neo LR, four A330-800neo, seven A330-900neo and two A350-900.
“
Four months of negotiations
”
"
To be honest, I was skeptical about how to deal with Airbus mainly because of rumors surrounding past deals with Kuwait Airways
," Ali Al-Dukhan said.
"
We had four months of serious and professional negotiations, which were stormy at times but were always held with respect and understanding of each other's needs and wishes
," he said. for follow-up.
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In 2014, the KAC ordered 15 Airbus 320neos and 10 Airbus-350s, the delivery of which started in 2019. In February 2020, a parliamentary committee was created to investigate alleged bribes, after payment by Airbus a record fine to avoid prosecution in a corruption case.
The allegations related to bribes paid by Airbus to secure the sale of 25 airliners to Kuwait Airways.