Hawaiian Airlines’ first Boeing 787-9 was spotted at Seattle Paine Field International Airport (PAE) after it left its long-term storage location at Kelly Field (SKF), San Antonio, Texas.
The aircraft, registered as N780HA, left SKF on July 29, 2023, and arrived at PAE on the same day. It had been stored at the Texan airport since June 2021, shortly after its first flight on June 18, 2021.
In December 2022, Hawaiian Airlines exercised its options for two additional 787s, adding the pair to its order of 10 jets of the type. At the same time, it deferred the first deliveries of the aircraft to Q4 2023, with Boeing scheduled to hand over the dozen by 2027.
However, in July 2023, Boeing notified the island airline that deliveries of the 787s scheduled in 2023 and 2024 “will be delayed by a couple of months,” according to Hawaiian Airlines’ Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) Q2 2023 report filing.
“The Company’s first Boeing 787-9 aircraft is now expected to be delivered in January 2024,” the filing read. “The committed expenditures under the amended purchase agreement and delivery delay are reflected in the table below. ” Hawaiian Airlines’ aircraft and aircraft-related financial commitments for the remainder of 2023 are $86 million, with the planned total capital expenditures being $100.2 million in 2023.
To purchase the 787 Dreamliners and fund related costs, Hawaiian Airlines “may need to secure acceptable financing,” the airline noted.
Due to the delivery delays, Hawaiian Airlines’ first Boeing 787-9 should be delivered in January 2024. The airline plans to operate two aircraft of the type by June 30, 2023, and both aircraft will be owned and not leased.
In addition to the 12 aircraft and 24 General Electric (GE) GEnx engines to power them, the carrier has ordered three spare engines, with options to buy another one, with delivery dates mirroring those of the dozen Boeing 787s.
UPDATE August 1, 2023, 8:50 AM (UTC +3): The article was amended with the correct financial commitments and capital expenditure sums.