Japan’s ANA has converted its 28 orders for the short range 787-3 to the 787-8 model, leading Boeing to reveal it is re-assessing the future of the 330-seat -3, for which there are now no orders in the 851 order backlog for the 787.
“ANA’s primary business reason for adjusting their 787 model selection is focused around aircraft availability to support their fleet plan – the 787-8 is available sooner for delivery than the 787-3 would be,” a January 7 Boeing statement reads. “The market viability of the 787-3 is currently being assessed… The 787 program is constantly engaged with customers and assesses their needs on a regular basis.”
Both ANA and fellow Japanese airline JAL were launch customers for the 787, in part due to the -3 model which was seen as an ideal replacement aircraft to operate high capacity domestic and intra-Asian services. Following continuing delays to the 787 program which saw the -3 slip from an original 2010 service entry date to 2013 or beyond, JAL cancelled its 13 787-3 orders in mid 2009.
