=20 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- This article was sent to you by someone who found it on SFGate. The original article can be found on SFGate.com here: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=3D/n/a/2005/11/28/financial/= f070958S04.DTL --------------------------------------------------------------------- Monday, November 28, 2005 (AP) Airbus: Airline Signs Letter of Intent (11-28) 07:09 PST PARIS, France (AP) -- European aircraft-maker Airbus SAS said a new private Chinese airline, East Star Airlines, on Monday signed a letter of intent to purchase 10 of Airbus' A320 passenger jets and agreed to lease 10 more from GE Commercial Aviation Service. Deliveries of the leased A320s will start from the second quarter of 200= 6, said Airbus, which is based in the southwestern French city of Toulouse. It did not give a price for the deal. Airbus' catalog price for an A320 is about $64 million, but buyers of multiple planes often get discounts. The aircraft will be configured to seat 128 passengers in two classes, Airbus said. It said East Star, based in Wuhan city in east-central China, plans to start operations in May 2006, connecting more than 10 major Chinese cities. Airbus SAS is majority owned by the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co. NV. GE Commercial Aviation Service is a subsidiary of Fairfield, Conn.-based conglomerate General Electric Co. -----------------------------= ----------------------------------------- Copyright 2005 AP