Aircraft

British Airways (BA) is to order 12 Airbus A380s and 24 Boeing 787s in a long-awaited widebody aircraft fleet renewal plan.

The Oneworld alliance carrier says in a stock exchange announcement that it is also taking options on seven more A380s and 18 more 787s. The aircraft will all be powered by Rolls-Royce engines.

“The new aircraft will replace 34 of the airline’s long-haul fleet and will be delivered between 2010 and 2014,” it says.

“The order, including options, will give the airline the flexibility to grow its capacity by up to 4% per year and the flexibility to tailor its future capacity growth in line with market conditions.”

©Tim Bicheno-Brown/Flight The A380 will grace the skies in the colours of British Airways

BA says it will “continue to consider the most suitable aircraft to replace its remaining [Boeing] 747-400 aircraft and is examining the 787-10, 777-300ER and A350XWB”. No mention is made of the 747-8.

Its firm 787 orders will be for both the -8 and -9 variants, powered by Trent 1000 engines. They will be used in part to replace 14 Boeing 767s.

The A380s will be powered by Trent 900s and will be used in part to replace 20 747-400s.