BWIA gets new 737 BY JUHEL BROWNE Guardian Receiving a brand new Boeing 737-800 aircraft yesterday, BWIA said it should collect the first part of Government's US $13.5 million loan soon. "We expect the first two million US (dollars) early next week," BWIA president Conrad Aleong said yesterday. "We still have not got the money yet and that is because it takes a while for the Government machinery to come up with the required comfort letters which we could use to go to the bank." Aleong held a news conference after disembarking from the 737, which arrived at the Piarco International Airport at 2.20 pm. Several of BWIA's senior executives were present. He said the new 737, which BWIA is leasing from General Electric Capital Aviation Services for about US $230,000 a month, had nothing to do with the State loan. "This particular decision was made by the executive management as far back as January of this year," said Aleong. Describing BWIA's financial position as "still difficult" Aleong said the airline has a plan to save the US $1.4 million a month necessary for the State funding. Asked about future job cuts after BWIA made some eight senior staff positions redundant earlier this week, Aleong said: "We are finding some areas where we can save the cash if we can do without those particular positions. So we are doing what we can and as we find positions we will continue to do so." Aleong noted receivership is not an option since it is a "fatal wound" and said, "we are not going there as long as management can help it." He said all of BWIA's staff should be proud of the new 737, with is part of the airline's fleet rationalisation plans. The 737, flown by Captain Randy McCathney and First Officer Andrew Woods, will be the seventh in BWIA's fleet. The owner of Roger's Trinbago Site: Roj (Roger James) *************************************************** escape email mailto:ejames@escape.ca Trinbago site: http://www.tntisland.com CBC Website http://www.tntisland.com/caribbeanbrassconnection/ The Trinbago Site of the Week: (TnT News) http://www.tntmirror.com/ (TnT News) courtesy of Roj Trinbago Website & TnT Web Directory Roj's Trinbago Website: http://www.tntisland.com TnT Web Directory: http://search.co.tt *********************************************************