[HD video below]
The JAL Group (JAL) has signed an order for twenty Boeing 787-9
aircraft, which it intends to deploy on medium to long haul
international routes after fiscal year 2015, as part of its
Mid-Term Management Plans for fiscal years 2012 to 2016.
The twenty aircraft comprise ten new
purchases and a conversion of ten of the 35 Boeing 787-8s it
currently has on order.
JAL's overall purchase of the Dreamliner now
stands at 25 firm orders of the 787-8, and 20 of the 787-9, with
20 options, raising the initial order of 35 Dreamliners to 45.
The 787-9 is a slightly larger version that can fit
approximately 50 more seats than the 787-8 configured for
international routes. Equally efficient as the 787-8 but with more
seat capacity, the unit cost per seat on the 787-9 is estimated to
be lower and an improvement in line with JAL's efforts to bring
down air operation expense per available seat kilometer to achieve
the goal of saving 50 billion yen in cost effectiveness during the
period of the Mid-Term Management Plan.
