Korean Air has announced that it has entered into an agreement with Boeing for the acquisition of 20 777-9 aircraft, as well as another 20 787-10s with 10 additional frames on option.
The carrier which operates a diverse fleet of Airbus and Boeing narrow body and wide body products, will take on its latest additions from 2028. Boeing predicts that the 777X series should enter commercial service some time in 2025, and Korean’s 777-9 order will bump Boeing’s combined 777X production count to more than 500.
As for the 787s, this order comes on the same day that their first 787-10 (registered HL8515) was delivered to the airline. This aircraft will enter commercial service on July 25, operating its first flight from Seoul Incheon (ICN) to Tokyo Narita (NRT). With one aircraft already delivered, the new order will now bump their outstanding 787-10 deliveries to 39, with 10 more as options.
Credit: Korean Air“The addition of the Boeing 777-9 and 787-10 aircraft marks a significant milestone in our strategic objective to expand and upgrade our fleet,” said Walter Cho, Chairman and CEO of Korean Air. “This investment underscores our commitment to providing a best-in-class flying experience. These new airplanes will elevate passenger comfort and enhance operational efficiency, while significantly reducing carbon emissions, supporting our long-term commitment to sustainable aviation.”
Post merger organization
It’s no secret that Korean Air is merging with Asiana Airlines, and with that merger will come wide variety of heavies in its new combined operations book.
Korean Air operates a large chunk of heavies including the Airbus A330-300, and A380-800, as well as the Boeing 747-8i, 777-200ER, 777-300 and ER variant, 787-9 and 787-10. They also have A350-900s and -1000s on order.
As for Asiana, they operate the Airbus A330-300, A350-900, and A380-800. They also have Boeing 767-300ERs and 777-200ERs.
Now that’s quite a handful of types, but Korean does have some plans to simplify its fleet over time.
- Quad jets are out as they plan to retire both the 747s and A380s within the next 5-10 years.
- Asiana’s 767s are set for a 2024 retirement.
- With so many A350s and 787s coming online within the next 10 years, the older 777s will most likely be on the chopping block as well. 787-10s are really good as moving high volume traffic and will most likely be the replacement for regional and medium haul high traffic operations.
- The more fuel-efficient 777-9 and A350-1000s (and maybe the -900s) will eventually replace the 777-300ERs on long and ultra-long routes.
- The combined A330 fleet will continue operation domestic and regional operations in the interim but will also be phased out as the company moves towards more fuel-efficient aircraft.
Featured image: Boeing
