China's Hainan Airlines Co. Ltd., said Tuesday it plans to buy 30 Boeing Co. 787 Dreamliners, expanding its fast-growing long-haul jet fleet.
The airline said it plans to sign an agreement with the U.S. plane maker for 270-to-290 seat 787-9 Dreamliners for delivery by 2021 valued at as much as US$7.7 billion at list prices, though customers regularly secure steep discounts.
Hainan announced the pending deal in a regulatory filing. A Boeing spokesman said the company couldn't comment on negotiations with its airline customers. The airline has taken delivery of nine of 10 Dreamliners it currently has on order, according to Boeing.
The proposed deal is a boost for Boeing's order book of Dreamliner jets, which after years of growth, plateaued as jets were only available in 2020 and beyond.
Delta Air Lines Inc. last year cited the delivery timelines as a factor in its decision to purchase 50 long-range Airbus Group jets over Boeing Dreamliners. The company has sold more than 1,000 787s since 2004.
The proposed deal also underscores the behind-the-scenes maneuvering that has taken place among Boeing customers to secure new jet orders and delivery slots, according to two people familiar with the deal.
Many of the Dreamliners ordered by Hainan will come from delivery positions once reserved for United Continental Holdings Inc., the two people said. The U.S. airline is in negotiations with Boeing and engine maker General Electric Co. for a crop of larger 777-300ER jets converted from a portion of its Dreamliner order now going to Hainan, but hasn't yet been completed.
United Chief Executive Jeff Smisek said in an interview last week that the discussions with Boeing and GE for the 386-seat 777s were ongoing and "focus on a lot of things, including price."
American Airlines Inc. had been initially offered the United slots, but declined as it was interested in the smaller 787-8 rather than the larger 787-9 ordered by United. It was too close to the delivery date to switch models, the people said.
A United spokeswoman said the airline doesn't comment on its future fleet plans.
American recently received its first two 787 Dreamliners, which are slated to begin service May 7. A spokesman for American said it has 40 787s on firm order and 58 additional options. The airline switched its initial commitment from larger 787-9s to smaller 787-8s to replace aging 767 jets of similar size. The spokesman said it expects over time it will fly both Dreamliner models.
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