British Airways has recently placed a substantial order with Boeing, an order that could bring to manufacturer several billions dollars of revenue. The order is for an initial purchase of 18 of Boeing’s 777-9 aircraft, with an option to purchase a further 24.
This news comes hot on the heels of the halting of production of the Airbus A380 superjumbo. So it was decided that the 777-9 would be the best replacement for the 747 with a large capacity, a good flight range and an excellent fuel economy. When it comes to performance and economy, there is currently no real competitor to the 777-9. As a result of this news, Boeing’s share price has already increased by 0.54%.
British Airways currently operates 12 A380s and while it has stated that these are excellent planes, the high cost of the aircraft has always been a criticism.
Lower costs, more passengers
The drive towards more efficient planes with lower running costs has been increased, with British Airways parent group IAG seeing overall profits in 2018 increase by 45% across all its airlines which also include Aer Lingus and Iberia. These profits have been mainly attributed to the lowering of costs and increased passenger numbers.
The 777-9 is the perfect fit
For the needs of British Airways, the 777-9 seems to be ideal. It’s the perfectly sized plane to allow British Airways to fulfill the ever increasing demand from passengers, with the fuel economy to allow the airline to do this at a competitive price across long distance routes.
Further developments from Boeing in the pipeline
This investment is great news for Boeing and the company is currently looking into developing a new aircraft to fill a perceived gap in the market. In discussion is a New Midsize Airplane (NMA). A single-aisle commercial aircraft, specifically developed for long-haul flights. No formal announcement of development of this new plane has been made, but a large cash injection courtesy of British Airways will no doubt be a helping hand when it comes to putting these new ideas into serious production.
A sad farewell to the A380
Of course there will be many who will mourn the loss of the huge double-decker A380. While there are currently enough of these in use to enable us all to take a trip on this superjumbo, no more will be manufactured. Airbus simply couldn’t secure orders from enough airlines to continue making these expensive jets.
Emily is an avid writer with a passion for the travel industry. She also loves learning and writing about nutrition and healthy living. Emily is based in the UK.
