LE BOURGET, France, June 18,
2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Boeing [NYSE: BA], Korean Air and
Air Lease Corporation [NYSE: AL; "ALC"] today announced at the
Paris Air Show the airline plans to add 30 new 787 Dreamliner
airplanes to its fleet, with a commitment to purchase 10 new
787-10s and 10 additional 787-9 airplanes valued at $6.3 billion at current list prices. As part of
this agreement, Korean Air will also lease 10 787-10s from ALC.
The airline, one of the largest transpacific carriers in
Asia with 16 non-stop routes to
North America, will introduce the
larger 787-10 to complement its long-haul fleet of 787-9 and 777
airplanes. This order will be reflected on Boeing's Orders and
Deliveries website once it is finalized.
"As we continue to innovate our product offering, the 787
Dreamliner family will become the backbone of our long-haul fleet
for many years to come," said Walter
Cho, Chairman of Korean Air. "In addition to 25 percent
improved fuel efficiency, the stretched 787-10 offers around 15
percent more space for passengers and cargo than our 787-9s, which
will be critical to our long-term business goals."
With this order, Korea's flag carrier will quadruple its 787
fleet to 40 airplanes as it looks to strengthen its long-haul
fleet.
"ALC is delighted and honored to bring the 787-10 to Korean
Air's fleet in a joint effort with Boeing. The 787-10 provides
significant revenue enhancement to complement Korean's 787-9 fleet,
and the long-term lease of ten 787-10s from ALC will greatly expand
the scope and reach of the 787-10 in Korean Air's global network,"
said John L. Plueger, CEO and
President of Air Lease Corporation.
The 787-10 is the largest member of the super-efficient and
passenger-pleasing Dreamliner family. At 224 feet long (68 meters),
the 787-10 can serve up to 330 passengers in a standard two-class
configuration, about 40 more than Korean Air's existing fleet of
787-9 airplanes. Powered by a suite of new technologies and a
revolutionary design, the 787-10 sets a new benchmark for fuel
efficiency and operating economics when it entered commercial
service last year. The airplane allows operators to achieve 25
percent better fuel efficiency per seat compared to the previous
airplanes.
"Today's announcement demonstrates the strength of our enduring
partnership with Korean Air. The airline has been a pioneer in
Asia's commercial aviation
industry over the past five decades and Boeing is honored to play
an important role in their continued success," said Kevin McAllister, president and chief executive
officer, Boeing Commercial Airplanes.
Korean Air operates a fleet of 96 Boeing passenger
airplanes, including the Next-Generation 737, 747, 777 and 787
airplanes. The airline also operates an all-Boeing cargo fleet with
the 747-400, 747-8 and 777 Freighters.
"Korean Air is a leading global airline and has become one of
Asia's largest transpacific
carriers. We are honored that Korean Air has decided to quadruple
its 787 Dreamliner fleet and we will work closely with them to
finalize this landmark deal," said Ihssane
Mounir, senior vice president of Commercial Sales and
Marketing of The Boeing Company. "Korean Air continues to build its
incredible widebody airplane fleet to enable its philosophy of
providing 'Excellence in Flight' for its passengers."
Korean Air employs a variety of Boeing Global Services to
support its fleet, including Airplane Health Management services,
which optimizes aircraft scheduling using predictive analytics with
real-time flight data to reduce delays for its 787 aircraft. The
airline also employs Jeppesen FliteDeck Pro electronic flight bag
services that streamline access to digital navigational data,
charts, manuals, and weather information for pilots. In addition,
Korean Air also uses digital flight planning and runway performance
analysis solutions, to further enhance operational efficiency and
reduce costs across all phases of flight.
Korean Air also selected the GEnx engine to power its 30
additional Boeing 787 Dreamliners. This selection will increase
Korean Air's GEnx-powered Dreamliner fleet to 40 aircraft.
Korean Air's Aerospace Division is a key Boeing partner on the
747-8 and 787 programs, supplying the distinctive raked wing-tips
for each model. The division is also a supplier of the new 737 MAX
Advanced Technology (AT) Winglet.
With a fleet of 168 aircraft, Korean Air is one of the
world's top 20 airlines and serves 126 destinations in 44 countries
worldwide. It is a founding member of the SkyTeam alliance and
recently formed a Joint Venture partnership with Delta Air
Lines.
Contact:
Paul Bergman
Boeing Commercial Airplanes Media Relations
paul.r.bergman2@boeing.com
+1 206-724-7292
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SOURCE Boeing