Korean Air to receive its first 787-10 in 2021

Report by : Gan Yung Chyan
                 / KUCINTA SETIA

Image courtesy : Korean Air

Korean Air, South Korea's national flag carrier, will introduce 20 Boeing 787-10s, the largest member of the Dreamliner family, for the first time in South Korea, and add 10 more 787-9s to its existing fleet. The first 787-10 of Korean Air is due to arrive in Incheon in 2021.

Korean Air signed the Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) with Boeing on 18 June 2019 to purchase 30 Boeing wide-body aircraft at the Le Bourget Airport, where the 2019 Paris Air Show was held. 

According to 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.

The purchase decision reflects Korean Air’s continuous effort to modernize the fleet, and the new 787 jets will replace its existing aircraft such as A330s, B777s, and B747s.

The 68-metre long 787-10 is 5 metres longer than 787-9 airplanes. As the largest version of the 787 family, the 787-10 offers around 15 per cent more space for passengers and cargo than the 787-9. The jet can accommodate up to 330 passengers, 40 more than the 787-9, and the cargo space is 20㎥ larger. With unparalleled fuel efficiency, the 787-10 allows operators to achieve 25 per cent better fuel efficiency per seat compared to the previous airplanes.

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

Currently, since the first 787-9 delivery in 2017, Korean Air has 10 787-9s. With the MOU including 10 additional 787-9s, the airline will have 20 787-10s and 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 Walter Cho, Korean Air’s Chairman.

About 787 Dreamliner

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner offers unrivalled comfort to passengers. While most airliners have cabin air pressure equivalent to that of an altitude of 8,000 feet, Boeing cut that down to 6,000 feet for the Dreamliner and increased the air pressure inside the cabin, improving the passenger experience. Passengers can also enjoy humidity which is 5 per cent higher than other aircraft on average.

The Dreamliner also integrates advanced technologies and revolutionary design for outstanding performance. More than half of the airframe is made of carbon composite materials, which improves structural performance with less weight, increases fuel efficiency, and reduces gas emissions as well as noise during take-off and landing.