Azerbaijan Airlines, also known as AZAL, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with American aerospace manufacturer Boeing for 4 787-8 Dreamliners.
The agreement, signed this Wednesday at the 2022 Farnborough International Airshow, will see Azerberjain’s national carrier welcome four more of the fuel-efficient Boeing 787-8s to its fleet.
The Dreamliner is a dream
Boeing’s 787-8 Dreamliner is arguably the most modern aircraft in the world. According to Boeing, the aircraft is comprised of “industry-leading technology” that is creating “remarkable opportunities” for airlines across the globe.
The jet itself is comprised of 50% composite materials and, as a result, it is a lighter aircraft that consumes less fuel but still offers a long range (13,530km).
Its Rolls-Royce engines (Rolls-Royce Trent 1000) are advanced for their time, producing 60% less noise than the previous generation.
The efficiency of the 787-8 has allowed airlines to increase their operations and serve more destinations – it has already allowed Azerbaijan Airlines to do the same. The Baku-based airline was the first airline in the Central Asia region to operate the Dreamliner.
AZAL already has two 787-8 Dreamliners in its total fleet of 21 aircraft. Both are in service. But now, as of last week, the carrier soon owns a total of 6 Dreamliners.
The MoU was signed by the President of AZAL, Jahangir Asgarov, and the CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, Stan Deal.
Jahangir Asgarov commented on the deal:
“This MoU is the evidence of joint efforts to scale up the mutually beneficial partnership between Azerbaijan Airlines and Boeing. Over the years, our 787 airplanes have provided impeccable performance, and the addition of more long-haul airplanes will further expand the geography of Azerbaijan Airlines’ route network.”
Stan Deal echoed Asgarov’s sentiments regarding the relationship between Boeing and AZAL. He also praised the characteristics of the Dreamliner and how popular it has been:
“Today’s agreement extends our long-term partnership with Azerbaijan Airlines as they renew their fleet to capitalize on the growing long-term travel demand that we are seeing globally. The global in-service 787 fleet has been the most-utilized widebody during the market downturn and we are confident in the proven performance capabilities of this airplane.”
The new 787-9s is expected to be delivered over a 5-year period from 2025 to 2030.
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