The airline will finalize the option exercise for the eight widebody aircraft with the North American manufacturer in the near future, according to a statement released on May 10.
While no specific timeline for firming up its options was provided, China Airlines indicated it could convert the orders to the higher capacity -10 variant if necessary. The newly acquired aircraft will be deployed on regional flights, Oceania routes, and unspecified long-haul journeys to accommodate growing passenger demand in the post-pandemic era.
China Airlines stated that deliveries of its three-cabin-class 787s will take place between 2025 and 2028. Upon initially announcing its widebody commitments, the airline declared that the 787s would become the backbone of its medium-haul fleet, replacing its current fleet of 18 Airbus A330-300s.
The decision to select the 787 followed a widebody evaluation campaign launched in 2018. The 2020 coronavirus pandemic temporarily halted fleet renewal plans, but the airline resumed its evaluation in September 2021.
