Thai Airways has placed an order for 45 Boeing 787 Dreamliners with 35 purchase options, according to a Reuters report, to restore its pre-pandemic capacity and meet growing demand for international travel.
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis, the company was forced to restructure its fleet and retire part of the Airbus A330-300, Airbus A380, Boeing 777-200, Boeing 777-300 and Boeing 747-400 aircraft.
The deal would be unveiled later this month (possibly at the Singapore Air Show), and is allegedly already reflected in the American manufacturer’s order backlog for 45 aircraft with an undisclosed customer.
Boeing, so far, has not issued any comment on the Thai Airways order. The aircraft will be powered by GE Aerospace engines, which currently dominate the market. This will be a new change for the airline, its current fleet of 8 Boeing 787s uses Rolls-Royce engines.
The decision to reject the Airbus A350 in favor of the Boeing 787 was influenced by the maintenance prices of the Rolls-Royce TrentXWB engines.
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