2007年VOA标准英语-British Airways Places Huge US, European Aircra

By Tom Rivers
London
27 September 2007

Britain's largest air carrier - British Airways¹ - has placed its biggest aircraft order in nearly a decade.  For VOA, Tom Rivers in London says it spells good news for both European and U.S. manufacturers.

Since the terrorist attacks on the United States on September 11, the international airline industry has faced tough economic times.

But for at least for one carrier, British Airways, better times appear to be ahead.

Europe's third-largest airline has decided² to replace its aging Boeing 747 fleet with two new planes, the Airbus A-380 super-jumbo and the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

The huge, 525-seat, A-380 double-decker plane will increase passenger numbers on flights to Hong Kong, Los Angeles and San Francisco from London Heathrow, where takeoff slots are limited. 

The order will boost capacity by four percent annually³.

The smaller 787s, which seat about 250 people, will operate to New York and additional destinations the carrier plans to serve.

British Airways Chief Executive Willie Walsh says the two different aircraft from two firms fits his company's future needs perfectly⁴.

"Both of these aircraft work incredibly well for us given the network of destination that we serve," Walsh said. "We fly to 142 destinations around the world and that is a mix of routes where on some there is quite high demand and others frequency is important.  So, the mix gives us great flexibility⁵ not just for the network that exists today, but for our future network plans as well."

A dozen A-380s and two-dozen 787s have been ordered.  Delivery of the planes is expected between 2010 and 2014.

The total price tag, before an undisclosed discount, comes in at $8.2 billion.

The airline also has options to purchase 25 additional aircraft in the future.

British Airways says the new planes will be quieter, more environmentally-friendly, and more fuel-efficient with lower carbon-dioxide emissions⁶.

All of the aircraft will be powered by British Rolls-Royce engines.

1 AIRWAYS   

航空公司

参考例句：

• The giant jets that increasingly dominate the world's airways. 越来越称雄于世界航线的巨型喷气机。
• At one point the company bought from Nippon Airways a 727 jet. 有一次公司从日本航空公司买了一架727型喷气机。

2 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

3 annually   

adv.一年一次，每年

参考例句：

• Many migratory birds visit this lake annually.许多候鸟每年到这个湖上作短期逗留。
• They celebrate their wedding anniversary annually.他们每年庆祝一番结婚纪念日。

4 perfectly   

adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。
• Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。

5 flexibility   

n.柔韧性，弹性，（光的）折射性，灵活性

参考例句：

• Her great strength lies in her flexibility.她的优势在于她灵活变通。
• The flexibility of a man's muscles will lessen as he becomes old.人老了肌肉的柔韧性将降低。

6 emissions   

排放物( emission的名词复数 )； 散发物（尤指气体）

参考例句：

• Most scientists accept that climate change is linked to carbon emissions. 大多数科学家都相信气候变化与排放的含碳气体有关。
• Dangerous emissions radiate from plutonium. 危险的辐射物从钚放散出来。