Bahrain?s national carrier, Gulf Air, announced restructured orders of 45 aircraft with Boeing and Airbus in deals worth a total of US$7.6bn
The orders consist of 16 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, 17 Airbus A321neo and 12 Airbus A320neo aircraft and the deliveries are to commence from Q2 2018.
The restructured orders are expected to simplify Gulf Air?s future wide-body fleet to Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners and ensure its future narrow-body fleet will largely focus on A320 neo Family aircraft.
Gulf Air CEO Maher Salman Al Musallam said that the new orders are ?more fuel-efficient, modernised, reliable and which, at the same time, allow Gulf Air to operate our wide and narrow-body fleet at lower operating costs?. This, he noted, was in line with their mission to put the airline firmly on a path towards long-term commercial sustainability.
?Boeing is proud that the 787 will be an integral part of the airline?s fleet strategy and the flagship for its long-haul, international operations,? said Marty Bentrott, vice-president ? sales, Middle East, Russia and Central Asia, Boeing Commercial Airplanes.
Airbus president and CEO Fabrice Br?gier also remarked on the partnership, saying, ?The A320neo Family aircrafts will provide the airline with a higher operational efficiency and profitability while its wider cabins will open a new dimension of passenger appeal.?
