China Eastern finalises order for 15 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners

China Eastern Airlines has finalised an order with Boeing for 15 787-9 Dreamliners.

The order, valued at nearly $ 4 billion at current list prices, strengthens China Eastern’s expanding long-haul fleet.

With growing air traffic demand, China Eastern plans to increase frequencies on existing routes from Shanghai to Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco and Toronto, as well as its newly launched destination, Chicago. The routes are currently operated by the airline’s flagship 777-300ER airplane.

“We are very happy to introduce the new 787 Dreamliners into our long-haul fleet,” said China Eastern Airlines Chairman Liu Shaoyong. “The addition of these next-generation, fuel-efficient airplanes will play a key role in supporting China Eastern’s strategy for international expansion, and enable us to realise profits in point-to-point routes across the Pacific Ocean, and between China and Europe.”

With the fuselage stretched by 20 feet (6 meters) over the 787-8, the 787-9 can fly more passengers and more cargo farther yet with the same environmental performance – 20% less fuel use and 20% fewer emissions than the airplanes they replace.