Korean Air will sign a contract with French-German aircraft producer Airbus to procure 33 variants of the A350 family.
The order includes 27 A350-1000s and six A350-900s, totaling $13.7 billion (18.17 trillion won).
The contract will complement the South Korean flagship carrier’s aim to gradually retire from its older airplanes, the A380. The financial losses caused by the A380′s low energy efficiency and unoccupied seats prompted the company to transition to the eco-friendly A350. The company also views the acquisition of the A350 series as a preparatory step for its merger with Asiana Airlines, which has been operating the A350 since 2017.
The A350-1000, the largest variant in the A350 family, can carry 350-410 passengers. With the longest flight range among existing passenger aircraft, high-energy efficient aviation can fly up to 16,000 kilometers.
The A350-900 is about seven meters shorter than the A350-1000, with a range of 15,370 kilometers, sufficient to cover the distance from Incheon to New York.
The airline plans to purchase an additional 143 next-generation airplanes in the near future. CEO Cho Won-tae emphasized 2024 as a pivotal year for finalizing the merger with Asiana Airlines and preparing to launch the integrated airline.
