In a major blow to Airbus SE’s business expansion plans across the U.S., American Airlines Group Inc. has entered an agreement with Boeing Company for purchasing 47 Boeing 787 Dreamliners for long-range flights. The business decision is based on the company’s aim to expand its carbon-composite jetliners fleet portfolio through the addition of fuel efficient Boeing jets. Reports cite that the Boeing deal is estimated at nearly USD 12.3 billion prior to providing any discounts. Incidentally, American Airlines has also annulled the purchase order of 22 Airbus twin-aisle A350 aircrafts placed by the U.S. Airways.
The Boeing-American Airlines deal is the second such agreement this year in which Boeing could convince the U.S. client of Airbus to purchase Boeing 787 jets. Earlier last month, Hawaiian Airlines, the sole purchaser of Airbus’s A330-800 jets, entered into the pact with Boeing to purchase ten 787 Dreamliners at nearly USD 2.82 billion. As per some of the key officials of the American Airlines Group, fuel-efficient Boeing Jets will help the company to improve its fleet quality, while selling off its outdated long-range aircrafts.
With the purchase of Dreamliners, American Airlines will reduce its maintenance & training costs of flying two extra wide-body jets through scheduling flights for three jets. Earlier in 2016 and 2017, the firm had delayed the purchase of A350 jets from Airbus on the grounds that the number of aircrafts it was going to purchase from Airbus was less in number, which could hamper its profits.
As per the contract between Boeing and American Airlines, the 22 Boeing 787-8 aircrafts will be delivered to American Airlines in 2022, while 25 of the 787-9s jets of Boeing are likely to be delivered in 2023. American Airlines has announced that the new planes will replace its old Boeing 767-300s aircrafts, Airbus SE’s A330-300s jets, and Boeing 777-200s airplanes.
