China Airlines has formally signed an agreement with The Boeing Company an order for up to 24 Boeing 787 Dreamliners.
China Airlines Boeing 787-9 Dreaminliner – Rendering, The Boeing Company.
The deal between Boeing and China Airlines calls for a firm order for 16 Boeing 787-9 with options for eight additional aircraft.
The purchase will assist China Airlines and its aims to meet its long-term sustainability goals, with Boeing stating that it reduces fuel use and emissions by up to 25% compared to the aeroplanes it replaces.
They also add that since entering service in 2011, the 787 family’s fuel efficiency, flexibility and range have enabled airlines to open more than 325 new nonstop routes and reduce carbon emissions by 80 billion pounds.
No seating contracts or interior news has been announced at the time of the order – although I’m sure we will find out soon enough who will win the contracts for the insides of these aircraft.
In Quotes
China Airlines Chairman Hsieh Su-Chien
“We are excited to introduce the 787-9 Dreamliner into our operations as we continue to upgrade our fleet with more modern, fuel-efficient airplanes. Adding the state-of-the-art 787 will help us reduce carbon emissions, while also providing our customers with unmatched levels of comfort,”
. “Our continuous investment in fleet modernization is the cornerstone of our sustainability efforts. The 787’s best-in-class efficiency and low operating costs will allow us to expand our network for years to come.”
Ihssane Mounir, Boeing senior vice president of Commercial Sales and Marketing added
“The 787’s superior fuel efficiency and range, combined with China Airlines’ existing fleet of 777-300ERs, will enable the carrier to grow efficiently and also expand its global route network,”
“This is a milestone order in our continuing partnership with China Airlines, and the market-leading efficiencies of the 787 will play an important role in furthering the airline’s sustainability efforts.”
An evolving fleet
China Airlines now has 22 Boeing jets on order, including six 777 Freighters (which will supplement the 747-400F fleet). The airline also currently operates 10 777-300ERs (Extended Range). They also operate Airbus A330-300 (which are set to be replaced by the incoming Boeing 787-9 aircraft) and the Airbus A350-900.
The airline is also taking deliveries of the Airbus A321neo aircraft to replace their existing Boeing 737-800 aircraft for short to medium-haul missions.
Moving onward the Boeing 777-300ER fleet will need replacing eventually – which could be an interesting battle to watch between the two big airframers
For China Airlines, the evolution of their fleet continues to be a core part of how they operate and how they grow.
It’ll be interesting to see the next steps.
Editors note: Yes, I saw this Thursday. I preferred to run with the Pokemon Jet article instead.
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