Thai Airways abandons Airbus A350 and orders 45 Boeing 787s

Thai Airways is abandoning the A350 and ordering 45 Boeing 787s to meet strong travel demand in Thailand.

According to industry sources, Thai Airways' decision to reject the Airbus A350 in favor of the Boeing 787 was partly influenced by disagreements with Rolls-Royce over the cost of engine maintenance.

On Thursday, February 8, Reuters reported that Thai Airways (THAI) had placed an order for 45 Boeing 787s, with the option to potentially increase the size of the deal to around 80 aircraft to meet growing demand for international travel, citing industry sources.

The deal, which is expected to be officially unveiled later this month, is already listed in Boeing's published order book as a contract for 45 aircraft with an undisclosed customer, the sources said.

According to Reuters, Boeing and Thai Airways both declined to comment on the deal.

The sources added that the planes would be powered by engines from GE Aerospace, which currently dominates the 787 engine market, competing with Britain's Rolls-Royce.

The deal opens a new chapter for Thai Airways, which is a long-time Rolls-Royce customer, and is also a win for GE, as the airline currently uses Rolls engines on its existing 787s, the sources said.

Pilot Passion website , the Boeing 787 Dreamliner is a large airliner with a capacity of 248 to 336 passengers.

There are three models:

1. 787-8: capacity of 248 passengers, range of 13,530 km, price of 248.3 to 260 million US dollars.
2. 787-9: capacity of 296 passengers, range of 14,010 km, price of 292.5 to 305 million dollars.
3. 787-10: capacity of 336 passengers, range of 11,730 km, price of 338.4 to 350 million dollars.

If THAI were to buy 45 of the cheapest model, it would cost about $10.75 billion.

However, buying in bulk usually comes with a 40-60% discount from manufacturers.

See also:

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Source: The Nation Thailand