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Bahrain’s Crown Prince and Prime Minister Salman bin Hamad Al Khalif, Gulf Air Group Chairman Khalid Taqi, Gulf Air Group Holding’s Group CEO Jeffrey Goh, and Boeing Commercial Airplanes President and CEO Stephanie Pope during agreement signing ceremony in the Washington DC on July 17
Dhaka: Gulf Air has launched the next stage of its fleet modernization with an order for up to 18 Boeing 787s. The order—12 firm and six options—was signed during the official visit of Bahrain’s Crown Prince and Prime Minister Salman bin Hamad Al Khalif to Washington DC on July 17.
If all 18 aircraft are eventually acquired, the deal could be worth up to USD 4.6 billion at list prices, although carriers usually negotiate hefty discounts. The aircraft will be powered by GE Aerospace GEnx-1B engines.
“This agreement to acquire additional 787 Dreamliners—an aircraft already well-regarded by our passengers—contributes over 20 percent additional passenger capacity, representing a significant step forward in Gulf Air’s ongoing journey of growth and modernization,” said Gulf Air Group Chairman Khalid Taqi.
“We are excited to build on our more than 60-year partnership with Gulf Air,” Boeing Commercial Airplanes President and CEO Stephanie Pope added.
Gulf Air Group Holding’s Group CEO Jeffrey Goh said that the new order will cover 787-9s and -10s, without specifying numbers for the two variants. The aircraft will arrive in the “early 2030s,” Goh said. First, however, Gulf Air’s existing fleet of 10 787s will be joined by the final two examples from the airline’s previous order for the type. These are scheduled to arrive in late 2026 and early 2027.
Some of the latest order will replace early examples in the Gulf Air fleet, while others will expand the inventory.
The Bahraini flag-carrier recently announced that it will return to the US after an absence of nearly 30 years, with a 3X-weekly service to New York JFK, using 787-9s starting October 1.
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