New Boeing 787s Delayed

New Boeing 787s, which are scheduled for delivery to Thai Airways, have been delayed.

The airline’s CEO, Chyai Eamsiri, spoke in an interview with Business Times about the latest delay, which will impact its growth and renewal efforts.

These Boeing 787s were scheduled for delivery in the middle of 2027 onwards; however, it’s now likely that they’ll begin being delivered towards the back end of 2027, at best.

Based on the latest guidance, the six-month delay is a setback, and now Thai Airways will need to find ways to bridge the capacity gap that’ll be present because of the aircraft delays.

The Order From Thai Airways

The arrival of these Boeing 787s is part of an order which was announced at the 2024 edition of the Singapore Airshow; however, it was placed at the backend of 2023.

Confirming the deal included 45 of the 787-9 and was part of an overall bid to significantly modernise the widebody fleet at Thai Airways, moving into the future.

The acquisition would allow Thai Airways to develop its route network, with a focus on Southeast Asian markets that require strong levels of capacity while also enhancing overall flying on a long-haul basis.

Thai Airways says the acquisition of more 787s would enable further emission reductions by up to 25% compared to the aircraft the Dreamliner will replace once delivered.

Thai Airways’ fleet currently consists of several modern and ageing aircraft types. However, the consensus is that it needs a pretty significant revamp.

In-service aircraft are spread across various aircraft types, with widebodies featuring the Airbus A330, Boeing 777, Boeing 787, and Airbus A350.

However, what cannot be ignored is the substantial loss in capacity which has occurred at Thai Airways across recent years, primarily driven by financial turbulence which saw the business enter restructuring.

As part of the restructuring, Thai Airways parted ways with several high-capacity aircraft types such as the A380 and 747, which helped lower costs but also left significant gaps in the fleet.

Other Boeing 787 Delays

The latest pushback in delivery date for the 787 from Boeing for Thai Airways comes as no shock. It is part of a broader industry problem impacting the delivery of next-generation aircraft.

Many airlines around the world are facing delivery delays, no matter their geographical positioning or size, and it stems from Boeing’s long-winded production and quality control issues.

Across many years, there have been several assembly defects and nonconforming fittings on the series, which have halted production and pushed back deliveries, having a knock-on effect across the whole backlog.

Additionally, the industry has faced engine shortages and broader supply chain constraints, which have made maintaining a healthy production rate nearly impossible. As airlines’ appetite for new planes grows, the ability to work through these at the rate required hasn’t happened.

From upcoming Riyadh Air being forced to push back the launch of their scheduled passenger services because of 787 delays on numerous occasions to established businesses such as Air New Zealand facing delays, everyone has been impacted.