Taipei, June 21 (CNA) China Airlines (CAL) Chairman Hsieh Su-chien (謝世謙) has signed a contract with Boeing to convert the airline's option for eight 787-9 passenger aircraft into firm orders, which will bring CAL's 787 fleet size to 24 aircraft by 2028.
The contract sealed at the Paris Air Show represents a change approved by the CAL board on May 10, the carrier said in a press release Wednesday, adding that the 787s will be assigned to regional and long-haul routes, including to Oceania.
CAL had previously decided on the purchase of sixteen 787-9 passenger aircraft fitted with the General Electric GEnx engine back in August 2022 with deliveries to commence in 2025.
The firm order for eight more aircraft will bring the total size of the 787 fleet to 24 aircraft, with deliveries for those eight planes to start in 2026, CAL said.
It will also convert six of the planes ordered to the larger-capacity 787-10 variant based on travel demand, the airline said.
CAL said its 787-9 jets will become the mainstay of its medium-capacity wide-body fleet, and be configured for three cabin classes -- namely premium business, premium economy, and economy.
According to the airline, the 787 passenger aircraft is approximately 20 percent more fuel efficient and produces 20 percent less carbon emissions compared to the previous generation of aircraft, which will help lower the airline's costs and contribute to its goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.
CAL, which currently operates 87 passenger and cargo aircraft -- including the A321neo, A350-900, 777-300ER, A330-300, 737-800 -- said the new 787 passenger aircraft will replace the A330-300 as part of its aircraft revitalization program.
