Boeing Commercial Airplanes reported a new order from Hawaiian Airlines for up to 20 787 Dreamliner aircraft, which the carrier said would be its "flagship" aircraft for medium- to long-haul flights. Hawaiian will purchase 10 787-9 jets, worth $2.82 billion at list prices, with purchase options for 10 more 787s.
The order represents a switch by Hawaiian from the Airbus A330 to the Boeing long-range jets, and reportedly the carrier canceled an existing order for six Airbus A330-800s in preference to the 787-9 Dreamliners. Currently, it operates the A330 on flights to Asia and the U.S.
The OEM explained that airline is expanding its eastbound and westbound service from Honolulu, and will gain advantages from the Dreamliners’ fuel efficiency, range, and “passenger-pleasing features.” Boeing Global Services will supply “new aircraft transition support services,” including training and initial provisioning.
The 787-9 carries about 290 passengers on routes of 7,635 nautical miles (14,140 km), and does so while consuming 20% less fuel and producing 20% fewer carbon emissions than the A330, Boeing noted.
"The Dreamliner's operational efficiency and superior guest experience make it the best aircraft for modernizing our fleet in 2021 and beyond," stated Peter Ingram, Hawaiian Airlines president and CEO. "Its expanded seat capacity and extended range will allow us to expand within our current route network and offer new destinations in the Asia-Pacific region."
The order is good news for GE Aviation, too. Hawaiian chose the GEnx-1B high-bypass turbofan engines (one of two engine options available for the aircraft) to power its initial 10 jets, an order worth over $520 million, GE said.
