Boeing Commercial Airplanes landed a new order from China Eastern Airlines for fifteen 787-9 Dreamliners, a $4-billion contract. The 787-9 is the second variant of the high-profile long-range aircraft. The OEM has booked a total of 551 orders for the aircraft, and delivered 58 since it was introduced in 2013.
China Eastern Airlines operates on international, domestic, and regional routes from Shanghai. Reportedly it is China’s second-largest commercial airline by passenger volume. It plans to operate the new 787-9s on routes between China, North America, and Europe, including on existing routes from Shanghai to Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, New York, and Toronto. Currently, China Easter serves those destinations with its Boeing 777-300ER aircraft
Boeing’s “Dreamliner” series wide-body, twin-engine aircraft have carrying capacity for 210 to 330 passengers. It describes the 787 as its most fuel-efficient commercial jet, with a structure that incorporates a large volume of composite materials helping to reduce fuel consumption by up to 20% versus similar-size jets. An advanced aerodynamic design than previous jets, more-electric systems, and modern engines add to the 787’s appeal to airlines.
"We are very happy to introduce the new 787 Dreamliners into our long-haul fleet," stated China Eastern Airlines Chairman Liu Shaoyong. "The addition of these next-generation, fuel-efficient airplanes will play a key role in supporting China Eastern's strategy for international expansion, and enable us to realize profits in point-to-point routes across the Pacific Ocean, and between China and Europe."
According to Ihssane Mounir, Boeing’s SVP, Northeast Asia Sales, "The combination of both the 777-300ER and 787-9 will provide the airline with market-leading economics, as well as flexibility that will contribute significantly to their success operating long-haul flights to North America."
