[Courtesy of Boeing]
A Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner is heading for South Korea, making Korean Air the country's first airline to operate the fuel-efficient passenger jet as South Korean air carriers prefer high-performance, mid-sized planes to reduce fuel costs.
Korean Air said the new Boeing plane would bolster the company's international competitiveness. It plans to bring in 10 Dreamliners by 2019, including five this year.
Korean Air said its first Dreamliner is to arrive in South Korea Friday after being delivered by Boeing at its North Charleston center, South Carolina.
The first 787-9 will fly on a domestic route between Seoul and the southern resort island of Jeju in mid-March as part of the required certification period. It will be used on long-haul international routes later this year to Toronto, Madrid and Zurich.
Korean Air President Cho Won-tae, also known as Walter, said the Dreamliner will be a key member of the company's fleet. "The aircraft is fuel efficient, quiet, has lower operating costs and is spacious and very elegant. The cabin features are impressive and will ensure maximum comfort for Korean Air's passengers," he said in a statement.
Korean Air, which operates to 132 cities in 46 countries with a fleet of 175 aircraft, has promised to introduce lightweight planes to reduce fuel costs and improve corporate earnings. Its domestic rival Asiana Airlines will buy 30 A350-900XWBs by 2025.
Both B787-9 and A350-900XWB jets are made of carbon fiber composites and designed aerodynamically to improve fuel efficiency by up to 20 percent.
Lim Chang-won = cwlim34@ajunews.com
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com
