BA’s parent company IAG has agreed to become one of the launch customers for Boeing’s new “stretched” version of the Dreamliner, known as the 787-10.
IAG has agreed to buy 12 of these new aircraft subject to shareholder approval. Singapore Airlines and United are also among those to order the 787-10 during the Paris Air Show.
Boeing’s latest version of the Dreamliner, the 787-10, will offer seating for 300-330 passengers depending on the airline’s choice of configuration. It will also be a shorter range aircraft with a range of up to 7,000 nautical miles than the previous Dreamliners.
Boeing Commercial Airplanes’ CEO Ray Conner said: “The 787-10 Dreamliner will be the most-efficient jetliner in history.
“The 787-10 is 25 percent more efficient than airplanes of its size today and more than 10 per cent better than anything being offered by the competition for the future.”
Boeing has started to design the 787-10 with final assembly and test flights due to begin in 2017 with first delivery scheduled for 2018.
The first Dreamliner to enter service, the 787-8, carries between 210 and 250 passengers and has a range of up to 8,200 nautical miles.
The 787-9, which is currently in final assembly at the Boeing factory in Seattle, will carry 250-290 passengers on routes up to 8,500 nautical miles. It is due to make its first flight later this year.