Air Canada and Boeing are nearing a deal for up to 20 Boeing 787 Dreamliners.
The Canadian airline is looking to acquire between 15 and 20 Boeing 787 Dreamliners, according to Bloomberg. The order would enable Air Canada to renew and expand its wide-body aircraft fleet, which, according to ch-aviation.com data, currently has an average of 12.06 years old.
Air Canada currently operates the Airbus A330, Boeing 777, and 787 as passenger aircraft in its long-haul fleet. The most recent delivery was a Boeing 787-9, registered as C-GWUU, which Air Canada accepted in April 2023. Prior to that, the airline took in two Boeing 767Fs in June 2022 and a Boeing 787-9 in February 2019, according to ch-aviation.com data. It also took in two second-hand Airbus A330s, namely C-GOFV and C-GXZD, and brought back a Boeing 777-300ER, registered as C-FITL, from storage.
The carrier also operates several Boeing 767 freighters, including passenger-to-cargo conversions, with one, C-FXCA, currently being converted, per ch-aviation.com.
According to Air Canada’s Q1 2023 financial results presentation, the airline’s future fleet plans for 2023 include two Boeing 787-9, and a single 767F and Airbus A330 aircraft. In 2024, the Canadian carrier anticipates adding five more aircraft: two Boeing 767F, one 777F, and one 787-9 aircraft.
The airline ended Q1 2023 with a net income of CAD4 million ($2.9 million) while the adjusted net loss was CAD188 million ($139.5 million). However, according to Michael Rousseau, the President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Air Canada, since Air Canada achieved Q1 2023 results that exceeded “internal and external expectations” and lower-than-expected fuel costs, the company raised its adjusted Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) guidance.