In the last couple of weeks, IAG announced a large order with Boeing for 42 777-9X aircraft consisting of 18 firm orders and 24 options. This marks the latest stage in British Airways constant fleet renewal plan, which is a constant process with aircraft being retired and introduced gradually over multiple years.
The latest 777-9X order will be used to replace the last of BA's 747 as well as some of the older 777-200. The exact break-down of these aircraft will be 14 being used to replace the last 747 as well as 4 being used to replace 777-200ER. The rest of the orders are all options, and hence it has not been announced as to what aircraft they will replace. I would assume that they will probably be used to replace more of the 777-200ER. The 777-9X aircraft are being fitted with 325 seats across 4 classes and will arrive between 2022 and 2025.
However later this year British Airways will be receiving another new long-haul aircraft the A350-1000XWB. This aircraft is also being used to replace the 747, however at a smaller size, it will probably be used on routes with lower load factors (see my other article on this site to see where I think it could go first). 18 A350 have been ordered, which will mean that they will also make up a large fleet, with the first aircraft arriving in July of this year and a further 3 coming in during this year. In a few years time there will probably be another competition between this aircraft and the 787 to decide which aircraft British Airways use to replace more of their 777-200ER.
The other long haul aircraft that British Airways currently has on order is 12 787-10 and 4 777-300ER. The 777-300ER are due to be delivered in the second half of next year, and will be used to replace British Airway's remaining fleet of 3 777-200. The 12 787-10 aircraft will be delivered in the early years of the 2020s.
Currently compared to their fleet size, British Airways currently has relatively few short haul aircraft on order, with currently orders only for 15 A320NEO aircraft and 7 A321NEO. Additionally with plans to retire 22 of their older A319 by 2022, at this point there will be insufficient aircraft entering into the fleet to cover this loss. In addition to this in 2023, 29 of British Airway's A320 aircraft and 11 of their A321 will be over 15 years old and will probably start being at consideration of being replaced, so it would be expected that in the coming years, there will need to be another order of aircraft to replace these. I would expect this to be for further A320NEO aircraft.
The only other stimulus for aircraft orders in the coming years for British Airways could be from the expansion of Heathrow. If this expansion was given the go ahead, it would be expected that British Airways would take up a large expansion at Heathrow. Assuming that all the routes created would be new and not just transferred from Gatwick, British Airways would end up providing a large order for new aircraft, probably split between long and short haul aircraft. Some of these aircraft would probably come form the 777-9X options, which almost certainly would be activated if Heathrow was expanded. In addition to the aircraft that British Airways already operates, I think that British Airways would also put in an order for a smaller aircraft, most probably the Embraer E-Jet as operated by British Airways CityFlyer, in order to be used on smaller and thinner routes.
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| British Airways 777-200ER |
The latest 777-9X order will be used to replace the last of BA's 747 as well as some of the older 777-200. The exact break-down of these aircraft will be 14 being used to replace the last 747 as well as 4 being used to replace 777-200ER. The rest of the orders are all options, and hence it has not been announced as to what aircraft they will replace. I would assume that they will probably be used to replace more of the 777-200ER. The 777-9X aircraft are being fitted with 325 seats across 4 classes and will arrive between 2022 and 2025.
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| The 747 will leave the British Airways fleet in the coming years |
However later this year British Airways will be receiving another new long-haul aircraft the A350-1000XWB. This aircraft is also being used to replace the 747, however at a smaller size, it will probably be used on routes with lower load factors (see my other article on this site to see where I think it could go first). 18 A350 have been ordered, which will mean that they will also make up a large fleet, with the first aircraft arriving in July of this year and a further 3 coming in during this year. In a few years time there will probably be another competition between this aircraft and the 787 to decide which aircraft British Airways use to replace more of their 777-200ER.
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| British Airways 777-200ER |
The other long haul aircraft that British Airways currently has on order is 12 787-10 and 4 777-300ER. The 777-300ER are due to be delivered in the second half of next year, and will be used to replace British Airway's remaining fleet of 3 777-200. The 12 787-10 aircraft will be delivered in the early years of the 2020s.
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| British Airways A320 |
Currently compared to their fleet size, British Airways currently has relatively few short haul aircraft on order, with currently orders only for 15 A320NEO aircraft and 7 A321NEO. Additionally with plans to retire 22 of their older A319 by 2022, at this point there will be insufficient aircraft entering into the fleet to cover this loss. In addition to this in 2023, 29 of British Airway's A320 aircraft and 11 of their A321 will be over 15 years old and will probably start being at consideration of being replaced, so it would be expected that in the coming years, there will need to be another order of aircraft to replace these. I would expect this to be for further A320NEO aircraft.
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| British Airways A320 |
The only other stimulus for aircraft orders in the coming years for British Airways could be from the expansion of Heathrow. If this expansion was given the go ahead, it would be expected that British Airways would take up a large expansion at Heathrow. Assuming that all the routes created would be new and not just transferred from Gatwick, British Airways would end up providing a large order for new aircraft, probably split between long and short haul aircraft. Some of these aircraft would probably come form the 777-9X options, which almost certainly would be activated if Heathrow was expanded. In addition to the aircraft that British Airways already operates, I think that British Airways would also put in an order for a smaller aircraft, most probably the Embraer E-Jet as operated by British Airways CityFlyer, in order to be used on smaller and thinner routes.
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