Qantas orders 20 additional Boeing 787 Dreamliners

Seattle: Qantas Airways has announced that it would buy 20 more Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft, taking its existing orders of the B787 to 85, with 65 firm orders and 20 options.

Qantas chief executive, Geoff Dixon, in Seattle for the rollout of the first B787, said the 787s would be used by the Qantas Group's two major brands, Qantas and Jetstar, for both domestic and international operations.

"The additional aircraft will better enable Qantas and Jetstar to take advantage of growth
opportunities for point-to point flying in the Asia-Pacific region and to new international destinations in Europe, India and the Americas."

Qantas ordered 45 firm B787s, 20 options and 50 purchase rights in December 2005.

Dixon said the Qantas Group would take delivery of its first B787-8 aircraft in July next year. "The first 15 aircraft will be used by Jetstar, accelerating the growth of its international operations.

"In line with the company's two brand philosophy, subsequent deliveries will be allocated between Qantas and Jetstar on the basis of the best returns for the Group."

Dixon said that from 2011 the Group would begin to take delivery of the B787-9 aircraft, the stretched version of the B787-8, which would have greater passenger capacity and range.