AIR International – June 2018

(Jacob Rumans) #1

WIDEBODY AIRLINERS COMMERCIAL


http://www.airinternational.com | 67

Wins for the 787
Of all these segments, one of the most active
in the orders battle just now is the 250-300
seats area contested by the A330 and 787-9.
The challenge to the A330ceo models posed
by the 787-9 led Airbus, in 2014, to launch
the A330neo with Rolls-Royce Trent 7000
engines and aerodynamic improvements; the
first customer example is due to enter service
with TAP Portugal this year. Airbus claims the
A330neo burns 25% less fuel than a A330ceo
as well as offering a 25% lower capital cost and
a 7% better per-seat operating cost advantage
on a 787-9.
As 214 sales in four years shows, however,
the A330neo has sold slowly so far.
Furthermore, the 787-9 has recently scored
notable victories over its European competitor
thanks to orders earlier this year from both
Hawaiian Airlines (ten aircraft) and American
Airlines, which ordered 25 (as well as 22
787-8s). Hawaiian’s order was a double blow
for Airbus as the carrier cancelled a previous
A330neo order to switch to the Dreamliner.
Although American still operates legacy
Airbus widebodies (22 A330-200s and nine
A330-300s), as industry consultancy CAPA
noted in a May 2018 report the carrier’s latest
787 orders mean Boeing now holds 100%
of the airline’s orders for new widebodies.
Another major United States network airline,
United, also operates a sizeable Boeing fleet,
with 37 Dreamliners and 91 examples of the


  1. With Air Canada’s sizeable 787 and 777
    fleets and WestJet selecting 787-9s for its new
    low-cost long-haul operation, which will start
    operations in 2019, the power balance for
    new widebody aircraft sales in North America
    is clearly tilted in Boeing’s favour.


Upcoming opportunities
Further orders contests loom as airlines
seek new equipment for re-fleeting and/
or expansion, especially at the lower end of
the seating scale. In a blog earlier this year,
Boeing Commercial Airplanes’ Vice-President
Marketing Randy Tinseth wrote the company
was working on “a number of campaigns”. He
didn’t elaborate, but one could well be United’s
requirement to replace its fleet of 51 767s used
for transcontinental and some transatlantic
services. Reuters reported in May the 787
was favoured over the A330neo; unsurprising
perhaps given United’s large 787 fleet.
United is not the only major network carrier
looking at new aircraft in the 250-300 seats
category. Recent reports say the International
Airlines Group (IAG), parent company of
British Airways, Aer Lingus, Iberia and Level,
wants to add further widebodies to its fleet.
IAG Chief Executive Willie Walsh has said the
company is looking at further widebodies for
Aer Lingus and Level, both A330 operators,
interesting given IAG executives’ previous
statements about a minimal operating cost
difference between a 787 and an A330.

In the 300-350 seats category the 679 sales
for the A350-900 have given Airbus a lead
over the rival 787-10, although Boeing in 2017
secured a significant win for the variant with
a commitment from Emirates for 40 787-10s.
The Gulf airline had previously cancelled an
earlier order for 70 A350-900s. Boeing is
working to finalise this order, Tinseth said.

A350-900 vs 787-10
In the 300-350 seats segment, a report
from the Teal Group consultancy says: “The
A350-900 looks good. The big variable here
is the 787-10. The qualities that make the 787
potentially great – its optimisation as a point
design – could well make growth version
development difficult. So, the A350-900
could prevail as the 777-200ER replacement
option of choice.”
A win for Airbus in this area came last
September when United announced an order
for 45 A350-900s to replace its 55 777-
200ERs, but the sizeable stock of Boeing 777-
200ERs dating from the late 1990s/early 2000s
operated by many other airlines (including
American, British Airways, Korean Air Lines
and Saudi Arabian) which will become ripe for
replacement in the coming years, means this
segment could become a particularly closely-
fought part of the widebody tussle.
There may be other opportunities in the
300-350 seats range. Even though AirAsia
has an agreement with Airbus for ten A350-
Face off

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