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Korean Air is reportedly set to buy 20 wide-bodied, long-haul aircraft from Airbus (OTCPK:EADSY) and adding additional single-aisle planes in an effort to simplify its fleet ahead of its merger with Asiana Airlines, according to Bloomberg.
By operating the aircraft of a single manufacturer, the airline can streamline maintenance and lower the cost per available seat mile, or CASM. Asiana Air operates a majority of Airbus (OTCPK:EADSY) aircraft while Korean Air’s fleet contains mostly Boeing (BA) although some of the carrier’s Boeing 777 aircraft will likely be retired and replaced with comparable aircraft from Airbus such as the A350.
The Airbus A350 wide-body can be used for both short-haul to ultra-long-haul routes for up to 9,700 nautical miles with 300-410 passengers in a three-class configuration and up to 480 passengers in a single-class configuration. The Boeing 777 series can seat as many as 392 passengers with a range of as much as 8,555 nautical miles for the 777-200LR.
The carrier is also considering an order for Boeing’s 777X. According to Boeing (BA), the 777X will be the world’s largest and most efficient twin-jet aircraft. The plane can hold as many as 426 passengers with a range of as much as 8,745 nautical miles. The Boeing 777X, however, will not be certified until sometime in 2025, which, combined with Boeing’s (BA) regulatory issues with the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, could disincentivize Korean Air from initiating new orders with Boeing (BA).
Boeing (BA) shares were down 1% on Monday with Airbus (OTCPK:EADSY) unchanged.
