United Airlines is shopping for 100 Boeing 787 Dreamliners with the choice to buy 100 extra new jets that may fly its longest routes and substitute much less fuel-efficient, decades-old planes.
The large order is a giant enhance for Boeing from one in every of its largest clients and comes as United has returned to profitability after the pandemic’s journey stoop. The service has recently added extra worldwide flights because of a rebound in demand.
United mentioned its order was the most important wide-body sale to a U.S. service.
About 100 of the Dreamliners within the order will substitute Boeing 767s and a few of its Boeing 777s. Chicago-based United’s total wide-body fleet is made up of Boeing planes. The Dreamliners are anticipated to be delivered between 2024 and 2032, United mentioned.
A Boeing 787 Dreamliner operated by United Airlines takes off from Los Angeles International Airport.
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United’s CEO Scott Kirby mentioned it was simpler to purchase extra Boeing 787s over rival Airbus’s competing A350 wide-body aircraft.
“In this world where we’re trying to bring on 2,500 pilots a year and grow the airline, introducing a new fleet type slows that down dramatically,” he mentioned on a name with reporters. “And the truth is the 787 is a better replacement for the [767] because it’s smaller.”
United had 63 Dreamliners in its fleet as of the tip of final yr, in line with a safety submitting, and is scheduled to get to just about 70 earlier than 2023. Like different carriers, United was left with out new jets for months when manufacturing flaws pressured Boeing to pause deliveries till this previous summer season.
A shortfall of planes because of provide chain points and labor shortages has contributed to increased airfare this yr.
United first outlined the order to pilots this fall, in line with folks aware of the matter.
In a securities submitting early Tuesday, the airline estimated its adjusted capital expenditures at round $9 billion subsequent yr and $11 billion in 2024 following the order. Executives did not say precisely how the airline can pay for the planes.
“We will have the luxury of actually using our own cash flow to pay for these aircraft or finance them to the extent that we find capital markets financing attractive,” United’s CFO Gerry Laderman mentioned on the media name.
The service can also be buying 56 further Boeing 737 Max narrow-body planes and exercising choices for 44 extra, including to an order for near 300 new Boeing and Airbus single aisle planes United made final yr.