Korean Air has announced that it will introduce 20 Boeing 787-10s, the largest member of the Dreamliner family, for the first time in Korea, and add 10 more 787-9s to its existing fleet.

Korean Air, South Korea’s flagship carrier, signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on June 18 to purchase 30 Boeing wide-body aircraft at the Le Bourget Airport, where the 2019 Paris Air Show is being held. Present at the signing ceremony were Walter Cho, chairman and CEO of Korean Air; Kevin McAllister, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes; Ihssane Mounir, senior vice president of commercial sales and marketing of the Boeing Company; and John L. Plueger, CEO and president of Aircraft Leasing Corporation.

From left, Boeing Commercial Airplanes vice president Ihssane Mounir, Boeing Commercial Airplanes CEO Kevin McAllister, Korean Air CEO Walter Cho and Air Lease Corporation CEO John Plueger pose with models of Boeing 787 Dreamliner at an MOU signing ceremony during the 2019 Paris Air Show at Le Bourget Airport near Paris, France on June 18, 2019.

The decision reflects Korean Air’s continuous effort to modernize the fleet; the new 787s will replace its existing airplanes, such as 777s, 747s and Airbus A330s.

The 68-metre long 787-10 is 5 metres longer than the 787-9. As the largest version of the 787 family, the 787-10 offers around 15% more space for passengers and cargo than the 787-9. With unparalleled fuel efficiency, the 787-10 allows operators to achieve 25% better fuel efficiency per seat compared to the previous airplanes.

As the 787-10 covers a maximum distance of 11,910 km, which is around 2,200 km shorter than the 787-9. Korean Air plans to optimize its fleet operations by employing 787-10 for mid-haul and 787-9 for long-haul routes. 

The Boeing 787-10 is one of the newest aircraft in the aviation industry and only a few carriers currently have it in operation: Singapore Airlines, Etihad, United Airlines and All Nippon Airways. Upon the signing of the MOU, Korean Air will introduce the first 787-10 in 2021 and continue efforts to modernize its fleet, maintain its outstanding customer service, and ensure operational efficiency.

Since the first delivery in 2017, Korean Air operates 10 787-9s. With the MOU including 10 additional 787-9s, the airline will have 20 787-10s and 20 787-9s, quadrupling its 787 Dreamliner family.

“As we continue to innovate our products, the 787 Dreamliner family will become the backbone of our mid- and long-haul fleet for many years to come,” said Cho.