According to industry insiders, Qantas Airways of Australia is close to finalizing an order for additional Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft. The specific number of 787-10s to be ordered is currently unknown, but the move would increase the presence of this advanced aircraft family at Qantas and may be announced soon.
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However, it’s important to note that these types of negotiations often continue up until the last minute, and final decisions must be approved by the airline’s board. This would be Qantas’s first order for the 787-10 model, which has a shorter range than the 787-9 and is designed to compete with an Airbus model whose number is withheld.
Incoming CEO Vanessa Hudson stated in June that Qantas would initiate a competition to replace their current undisclosed number of jets by the end of this year. Both Qantas and Boeing have declined to comment, and Airbus has also remained silent. Qantas is known as one of the most influential aircraft buyers, and their previous decision to choose a smaller type of Boeing 787 in 2005 forced Airbus to reconsider their wide-body strategy.
In 2022, Qantas made a noteworthy order for twelve A350-1000s as part of their “Project Sunrise” ultra-long haul effort, which is capable of nonstop flights from Sydney to London and New York. Sources suggest that this upcoming Dreamliner deal reestablishes orders in Boeing’s favor with the largest variant of the 787. Qantas’s most recent Dreamliner purchase was in 2018 when they signed a deal for six planes to replace their remaining Boeing 747s; they currently have 14 787-9s in operation.