Aeroflot has signed a contract with Boeing on delivery of eight Boeing 777 long-haul aircrafts (two 777-200ERs and six 777-300ERs) two months ago. An option for eight more liners has been finalized at the same time, Vedomosti reports.

This option will be performed soon – the contract’s parameters have already been approved. According to the new contract the carrier will acquire two 777-300ERs (capacity — 365-451 passengers, range — 14 690 km) and six 777-200ERs (capacity — 301-400 passengers, range — 14 310 km) with a right of conversion into 777-200LR (with the range of 17 370 km) or 777-300ER. The term of delivery is 2013-2017.

The catalogue amount of the contract is around $2,17 billion. But Boeing has offered Aeroflot a good discount again. Last time the airline has declared amount of the contract being $1,156 billion. Thus, the first Russian customer for new Boeing 777s will acquire them almost 47% cheaper.

Aeroflot will spend not above 5% of its own funds on these planes. The main part of financing will be provided by Eximbank.

Such a favorable terms of the deal, especially the 50% discount, are a very rare exception. The reason for airframer’s flexibility is that Boeing tries to avoid sanctions due to serious delay of 787Dreamliner project — since Aeroflot has a contract on 22 such liners, and simultaneously the company tries to strengthen its positions in Russia by signing contracts with country’s largest airline.

We remind you that Aeroflot plans to start flying profitable long-haul routes and increase its passenger traffic up to 72/5 million passengers a year by 2025 (taking into account its subsidiaries and six airlines transferred by Russian technologies).