British Airways To Replace 777 With 787-10

British Airways is planning to say goodbye to its Boeing 777-200 with the Boeing 787-10 selected as the replacement starting in 2029.

The change in aircraft is expected not only to overhaul operations at London Gatwick and away from Heathrow, but also to shift leisure operations from this market across the broader IAG operation.

Shared during a recent full-year results presentation at the end of February, the move focused on how British Airways aims to evolve its Gatwick hub with next-generation aircraft for both crew and customers.

British Airways 787 Boosts Premium Travel

London Gatwick, which serves as another critical pull for British Airways’ leisure-focused network, currently relies heavily on the Boeing 777-200ER, which, while a workhorse, is approaching 30 years old rather than 20.

As a result, with these planes only continuing to show their age, the airline is plotting the future of its Gatwick operations, and a recent order for the 787 by IAG is expected to play a role in that, with the business tailoring the jets to this market.

With the Boeing 787-10s expected to feature the latest state-of-the-art cabin and plenty of premium seating options, the airline will look to configure the cabin to meet current demand best.

The jets will improve the inboard experience and, more importantly, support not just renewal but also growth across leisure destinations moving forward, and expand the business’s offerings into the 2030s.

A New Era Of Fleet For British Airways

British Airways is currently in the middle of an ongoing fleet-wide transformation, whether from single-aisle to widebody aircraft, or the deployment of the 787-10 to Gatwick from the end of this decade, which represents just one pillar.

The delivery of the A350-1000 over recent years has substantially elevated the airline’s widebody fleet, with these efficient planes bringing a fresh feel to customers and even the airline’s global network following the acceleration of the Boeing 747.

In the pipeline are now just more of these A350-1000s, as well as the delivery of additional 787 aircraft to help replace the aforementioned 777-200s, on a larger scale, subject to certification plans. It’s the delivery of the 777X, which will shift efficiency in the right direction again.

These 777Xs ordered last decade were intended to replace the 747. While they are expected to fill that hole, they come with many years’ worth of delays and follow a rather unplanned shuffle of widebody operations driven by delays, a pandemic and more.