The Largest in the B787 Series... Boeing 747 Replacement to Be Delivered Next Month
High Fuel Efficiency and More Seats for All-Weather Use on Medium- to Long-Distance Flights
The Boeing 787-10 model, known as the 'dream aircraft' personally overseen by Cho Won-tae, Chairman of Hanjin Group and Korean Air, will be introduced domestically for the first time in five years since the contract. It is expected to replace the large Boeing 747, nicknamed the 'Queen of the Skies,' serving as an all-weather main aircraft covering not only long-haul but also medium-haul routes.
According to industry sources on the 28th, Korean Air will receive the Boeing 787-10 with registration number HL8515 from Boeing's Charleston plant in South Carolina, USA, to Incheon Airport on the 11th of next month. This aircraft was ordered by Chairman Cho himself at the 2019 Paris Air Show. At that time, as part of Chairman Cho's large-scale fleet renewal plan, Korean Air signed a KRW 11 trillion contract to purchase and lease a total of 30 passenger aircraft, including 10 Boeing 787-10s and 20 Boeing 787-9s. The plan was to replace older aircraft such as the A330, Boeing 777, and Boeing 747.
The B787-10 was originally scheduled to be introduced starting in 2021. However, it was delayed by about three years from the initial plan. There were also various difficulties during this period. In 2020, the outbreak of COVID-19 drastically reduced demand for new aircraft, and Boeing began laying off skilled workers due to losses. Both airlines and aircraft manufacturers tightened their belts. Even after the COVID-19 situation eased, the impact continued, causing aircraft deliveries worldwide to be significantly delayed.
The newly introduced B787-10 is the largest aircraft in Boeing's next-generation B787 'Dreamliner' series. Its fuselage length is about 5 meters longer than the Boeing 787-9, measuring 68 meters. The maximum range is 11,910 km, approximately 2,200 km shorter than the B787-9. However, it can accommodate about 40 more seats, with a maximum seating capacity of up to 440. The B787-10 will also feature premium economy seats, which are positioned between economy and prestige classes. The cargo space is about 20 cubic meters larger than the B787-9, making it highly efficient relative to its operating range. Korean Air plans to extensively utilize this model on various routes. The B787-9 is already deployed on long-haul routes such as Vancouver in Canada, Madrid in Spain, and Istanbul in T?rkiye, as well as medium-haul routes like Bali in Indonesia and Phuket in Thailand.
Chairman Cho Won-tae regards the B787 series as the 'future of Korean Air.' He plans to significantly reduce the variety of aircraft types, focusing on the highly efficient and versatile Dreamliner series capable of medium- and long-haul flights. Having fewer aircraft types improves operational efficiency in maintenance, repair, flight operations, and personnel management. In the past, large aircraft with four engines mainly operated long-haul routes, but the B787 series can sufficiently cover long distances with just two engines. Being the latest model, it also offers better fuel efficiency. Compared to the older B777-200, the B787-10 improves fuel efficiency by 25 percentage points. This is the reason Chairman Cho decided to drastically dispose of large aircraft like the B747. Earlier, Korean Air began dismantling three Airbus A380-800s, known as 'hotels in the sky,' starting in April to salvage parts. The B747-8i will be sold to the American aerospace company Sierra Nevada.
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