787 Record Breaker

Just 8 months after receiving its 500th order back in early April 2007, industry watchers were keen to seen the whether the Boeing 787 Dreamliner could grasp and reach even more dizzy heights.

True to form and despite its recent rescheduling, the Dreamliner completes a deal announced with British Airways.

Kindly reproduced from the Boeing press release:

“This order is a vote of confidence from one of the world’s leading global network carriers in the 787’s unprecedented performance” said Marlin Dailey, vice president of Sales for Europe, Russia and Central Asia, Boeing Commercial Airplanes.

Image courtesy of Boeing

In selecting eight 787-8’s and sixteen 787-9’s, British Airways CEO Willie Walsh stated:

“The 787 is a fantastic aircraft and will be a welcome addition to our fleet. It will provide major environmental improvements in terms of global emissions, local air quality and noise.”

“With lower operating costs and the range to fly to all our destinations, it will give us more flexibility when planning our route network and we are confident that our customers will enjoy flying on the aircraft.”

The carrier also has 18 options and 10 purchase rights for the 787 Dreamliner family.

This also extends to the 787-10 model too, which is currently in development with a variety of airlines. British Airways has been a large and vocal proponent for a high gross weight 787-10 variant from the outset so that it can start retiring some of its older Boeing 777-200ER’s from the middle of next decade.

Interestingly 43% of all Boeing 787 orders have been placed during 2007 and the current orderbook for the airplane stands at 790 (correct as of publishing).

Randy Tinseth mentioned that historically, Airbus airplanes have not sold so well the year preceding first flight/service entry. Indeed, the A330/A340 family are reported to have had negative orders.

On the contrary, Boeing airplanes have sold rather well - but none so spectacularly as the 787 Dreamliner.

With 2008 just around the corner, there is already mounting speculation the likes of American Airlines and Delta Airlines are poised to place 787 orders. Also included in this possible “order-fest” is Continental Airlines, already a 787 customer, looking to convert more options to firm orders on the type as it standardizes its long haul fleet around the Dreamliner.

After cementing its place as a record breaker, all that remains to be seen is just how many orders are indeed placed during the lifetime of this extraordinary airplane.

2 comments December 27th, 2007