Hawaiian Orders Two Additional Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners
The carrier has also made an agreement with Boeing to postpone the delivery of the ten Dreamliners it has already ordered
Photo: Courtesy of Boeing Commercial Aircraft
Hawaiian Airlines has ordered two more Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, adding to the initial order for ten aircraft made in 2018.
The Hawaiian carrier has also agreed with Boeing to delay the delivery of the first ten Dreamliners, according to a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Wednesday, January 4.
Hawaiian Airlines expected the first batch of its new 787 Dreamliners to be delivered during the final quarter of last year, but these are now set to arrive in Honolulu during the last quarter of this year.
A further three aircraft are set to be delivered in 2024, with the remaining orders expected to be completed in 2027.
Photo: Courtesy of PRNewsfoto/Boeing
When the airline inked the order with Boeing in 2018, it came after a change of strategy for Hawaiian Airlines. The carrier had previously ordered six Airbus A330s, which was eventually canceled due to changes in the airline’s widebody aircraft strategy with a focus on sustainability.
“The Dreamliner’s excellent fuel efficiency makes the 787-9 an ideal choice for Hawaiian’s long-haul Asia/Pacific and North America routes,” said the airline at the time of the order.
In addition to its improved efficiency, the new aircraft will provide more comfort, luxury, and a greater customer flight experience.
Hawaiian is currently in the process of expanding its international network following massive losses during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, the carrier posted losses of $9.3 million during the third quarter of 2022.
However, as countries worldwide open their borders and the airline industry rebounds, Hawaii’s tourism sector expects to receive more visitors in 2023 than any other year. Moreover, the interstate route between Honolulu (HNL) and Maui (OGG)—with more than 1,000 scheduled flights in January—is expected to be the busiest commercial route in the U.S. in early 2023.
Photo: Courtesy of Hawaiian Airlines
Hawaii also serves as a major hub and transit point for flights between the U.S. and Asia or Oceania. Hawaiian Airlines offers direct services to numerous destinations in the Asia-Pacific region, including Tokyo, Osaka, Sapporo, Seoul, Sydney, and Auckland, as well as the remote Pacific getaways of the Cook Islands, American Samoa, and Tahiti.
The Asia-Pacific region also saw some of the strictest COVID restrictions during the pandemic, and many countries have only recently begun to open up to tourism again. Hawaiian Airlines will now hope to profit from the expected surge in demand for travel to that region.
The 12 new Dreamliners, once delivered, will add to Hawaiian’s fleet of 58 aircraft. This includes 24 Airbus A330-200s, 17 Airbus A321neos, and 17 Boeing 717s.
