Monday, 25 November 2013 00:00
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Major purchase to accommodate growth, increase efficiency and refresh fleet
Launch customer for 777-8X and largest airline customer for 787 Dreamliner
Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has announced a firm order for 56 new Boeing wide-body aircraft, with options and purchase rights for a further 26, to support its continued global expansion. The order represents an investment of up to US$ 25.2 billion at list prices, including related engines.
The deal, unveiled at the Dubai Air Show, includes 25 next-generation Boeing 777X aircraft of which 17 are 777-9X and eight are 777-8X aircraft. Etihad Airways is the first airline to order the 777-8X and will be a launch customer for the aircraft which is expected to enter service around the end of the decade.
The airline also ordered 30 Boeing 787-10 Dreamliners. Today’s announcement makes Etihad Airways the largest airline customer for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, when combined with previous orders for 41 of the Boeing 787-9 variant, and includes the milestone 1,000th Boeing 787 Dreamliner to be ordered. It also ordered one Boeing 777-200 freighter.
Significant, timely and essential order
Etihad Airways President and Chief Executive Officer James Hogan said: “This is a significant, timely and essential order for us, as we celebrate our tenth anniversary and plan for our next decade and beyond.
“In just 10 years, we have grown from a start-up carrier to a global airline. This order enables us to build upon our achievements, using the next generation of aircraft to support our next generation of development.”
“Boeing has been a long term strategic partner for Etihad Airways throughout that journey, playing an integral role in our growth. I am delighted we are extending our relationship, bringing industry-leading aircraft into our modern fleet.”
The aircraft will be used by Etihad Airways to launch flights to new destinations, add capacity in existing markets and progressively replace existing, less-efficient aircraft.
He said the deal would also provide direct economic benefits domestically and internationally.
“This deal is good for Etihad Airways, it is good for Boeing and it is also good for economic development both in the UAE and in the USA. In the United States, this order translates into a direct impact on America’s gross domestic product and supports employment throughout the aerospace supply chain.”
Powered by General Electric GE9X, GEnx and GE90 engines
All the aircraft in this order will be powered by General Electric GE9X, GEnx and GE90 engines.
The Boeing 777-9X is a stretched, more fuel-efficient version of the airline’s largest current aircraft, the Boeing 777-300ER. Typically seating 400 passengers, the 777-9X will be capable of flying the same distances as its predecessor, but with up to 40 more passengers, much lower operating costs and reduced fuel consumption per seat.
The Boeing 777-8X is a smaller version but with even greater range, enabling Etihad Airways to serve ultra-long haul routes such as Abu Dhabi – Los Angeles more efficiently than any aircraft in service today. It replaces and improves upon the existing Boeing 777-200LR aircraft, currently the longest range airliner in commercial service.
The Boeing 787-10 is the largest and latest version of the Dreamliner family, typically carrying more than 320 passengers, up to 50 more than the 787-9 which Etihad Airways will introduce late in 2014.
The series 10 aircraft will be capable of flying between Abu Dhabi and medium-haul destinations such as Dublin or Johannesburg, again with more passengers and lower fuel burn and emissions per seat than current generation aircraft.
The first of the new aircraft to join the Etihad Airways fleet will be the Boeing 787-10s, which will begin arriving in 2018, followed by the 777-9X from 2020 and the 777-8X from 2022.
