PARIS–Taiwan-based China Airlines exercised options for eight Boeing 787-9s at the 2023 Paris Air Show June 20, bringing the carrier’s order book for the 787 fleet to 24 aircraft.

The firm order, which was previously posted to Boeing’s Orders and Deliveries website as unidentified, follows an order for 16 787-9s announced in August 2022. Additionally, the airline has converted six of the 787-9s to the larger 787-10.

The 787-9s will be configured for three cabin classes: business, premium economy, and economy. Deliveries of the 787 fleet are scheduled from 2025 through 2028.

Data provided by CAPA Fleet Database shows that China Airlines has a fleet of 81 aircraft in service, including 13 747-400s, 10 777-300ERs and 11 737-800s. Alongside the 787-9s on order, the carrier is also awaiting the delivery of 15 Airbus A321s.

In a statement, the airline said the 787-9s would provide greater network flexibility. “The new aircraft will be assigned to regional, Oceania and long-haul routes to meet burgeoning passenger demand in the post-COVID era,” the carrier said.

Taipei-headquartered China Airlines is operating some 249,500 weekly seats across 56 nonstop routes, including flights to Amsterdam, Brisbane, Los Angeles, and Seoul. At this time in 2019, OAG Schedules Analyser data shows the carrier’s capacity was 344,000 weekly seats across 81 routes.

The airline carried 765,215 passengers in May 2023, down 40.6% compared with May 2019. RPKs were down by 20.2% over the same periods.