Aviation News International – Boeing on Tuesday revealed a sizeable deal with Thai Airways consisting of 45 Boeing 787 Dreamliners, initially in 787-9 form, powered by GE Aerospace GEnx engines. The contract includes options for 35 more aircraft and grants the ability to switch to the larger 787-10 or even the 777X. The sides finalized the order in December but didn’t formally reveal its existence until Tuesday at the Singapore Airshow.
For Thai Airways, the influx of 787s will fuel a major increase in capacity to meet the growing demand for air travel in Southeast Asia. The carrier reached a type/engine selection decision in just 10 months, accelerating an evaluation process that had hitherto taken three to four years. The airline adopted a total cost of ownership method to reach its decision. Plans call for delivery of the initial 45 aircraft between 2027 and 2033.
The carrier is no stranger to the Boeing 787, with six 787-8s and a pair of Dash 9s in its fleet, and one more of the latter on order. The average fleet age is just over nine years for the 787-8s. Rolls-Royce Trent 1000s power the current aircraft but the airline’s president and CEO, Chai Eamsiri, said that the airline harbored no plans to drop the Rolls-engined aircraft from the fleet any time soon.
Eamsiri noted that the GEnx engines would help the airline—and nation—meet its carbon-neutral goals by 2050. The 787 will reduce fuel use and emissions by 25 percent compared with the aircraft it is to replace.
On the same day as the Thai announcement, Boeing revealed an order for four 787-9s from Royal Brunei Airlines—the first Dreamliner operator in Southeast Asia. The airline celebrated 10 years of operations with the 787 last year. The fleet currently consists of five 787-8s that operate on routes to Asia, Australia, the Middle East, and London. The 787-9 offers a growth in passenger capacity of nearly 20 percent compared with the 787-8.
