Marred for months by the troubles of Boeing Dreamliner B787, Japan Airlines confirmed on Monday an order for 31 Airbus A350, a first for the Japanese carrier and Japan.
TOKYO- Plagued for a couple of months by the problems of the Dreamliner, Japanese carriers had time to realize that their total dependence to Boeing was turning into a problem. The US giant was embattled into troubles and delays with the production of its new B787 Dreamliner. It Japanese carriers had little to do than mulling out the only available option: to go to the competition. Talking in Tokyo to media, JAL‘s President Yoshiharu Ueki confirmed the Bord of Directors decision to introduce the Airbus A350 as the next generation model to be put in service on mid- to long distance routes. “We have signed a purchase agreement with Mr. Bregier, CEO of Airbus, for a fixed order of 31 A350s, comprising 18 A350-900s and 13 A350-1000s, and options for 25 of this plane”, declared JAL President.
“Since last year, we have been studying the appropriate aircraft to replace the Boeing 777 in our fleet, which need to be progressively renewed from 2019. As a result of comprehensively evaluating safety, performance, quality, economy, passenger comfort, impacts on the global environment, we decided to choose the Airbus A350 as JAL’s next generation model. This is the first time since the integration of Japan Airlines and Japan Air System that JAL will be ordering Airbus aircraft, and for Airbus, it will be the first order of the A350 from a Japanese carrier”, he added. And also the first time that Boeing is losing a long-haul aircraft contract in the Japanese skies. Japan Airlines command represent an investment of US$9.5 billion.
The planes are expected to replace Boeing 777s in the carrier’s long-haul lineup. The schedule of aircraft delivery has been decided by taking into account the operating environment of JAL. “We will make preparations with Airbus for delivery starting in 2019, and renew our Boeing 777 fleet over the next 6 years”. The future Airbus A350 is able to carry around 320 passengers and to reduce fuel consumption by 25 per cent as well as 25 percent lower CO2 emissions.
In a very diplomatic –and Japanese- way, JAL President indicated that the decision to buy Airbus aircraft had “nothing to do with the Dreamliner battery situation”…
Luc Citrinot a French national is a freelance journalist and consultant in tourism and air transport with over 20 years experience. Based in Paris and Bangkok, he works for various travel and air transport trade publications in Europe and Asia.
