It is very unlikely to have been a coincidence. Korean Air just received its first Boeing 787-10 ahead of the Farnborough Air Show and put on display its splendid new business class cabin interiors. Just a few days later Boeing announces that the airline intends to heavily invest on new wide-body long range aircraft to modernise its fleet. Here’s which planes and how many Korean Air has ordered and why this is a crucial move for both Boeing and the airline.
- Which and how many Boeing aircraft has Korean Air ordered?
- Why is it a massive win for Boeing?
- Why is it an important order for Korean Air?
Which and how many Boeing aircraft has Korean Air ordered?
So, we were all expecting something interesting to come out of the Farnborough air show in the UK this week. But this is a really interesting way to get the ball rolling.
Korean Air has announced that it will be purchasing up to 50 new Boeing wide body planes in order to modernise its fleet. Keep the word “modernise” in mind for later in this post.
The Korean flag carrier, soon to be the only major airline in the country once merged with Asiana, has reached an agreement with Boeing for:
- 20 Boeing 777-9 (firm order).
- 20 Boeing 787-10 (firm order) + options for 10 more of the type.
Therefore KE becomes the newest carrier to order the yet to be certified Boeing 777X. Certification should be completed by the end of 2025 so, we might see the first in their light blue Korean Air livery in 2026.
Why is it a massive win for Boeing?
Well just a few months ago Korean Air announced its intention to order the A350-1000, along with a smaller quantity of A350-900s. That must have been quite a scare for the American manufacturer, as KE has always had mainly Boeing long-haul aircraft. The purchase of the A350-1000 could have been the start of something different in terms of fleet composition.
However this order re-balances everything, with Boeing taking back its place in the KE fleet as the dominant party. Also the fact that another major airline has invested in the massively delayed 777X shows puts some steam into the project, just as the certification process is getting started. A much needed morale boost.
Why is it an important order for Korean Air?
Korean Air has been facing an ageing fleet issue for quite some time. Both the planes and the interiors are in need of a renovation. The fleet needed to get up to speed with other major carriers in order to compete on efficiency, by not overspending on fuel, and in terms of passenger experience.
This new order will help the airline phase out some of the older planes in its fleet. The most likely to exit the fleet are the older 777-300s, the Boeing 747-8i and the A330-200 and 300.
These new arrivals will future-proof the airline’s fleet for many years to come. A modernisation effort which was long awaited.
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