The first Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner for Spanish carrier Air Europa has arrived today at Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport after a non-stop 4,128 miles (6,643 km) delivery flight from Boeing Delivery Center in Charleston, South Carolina.
Air Europa announced an order for eight Dreamliners in 2007, complemented by an additional order for 14 787-9s in 2015 – the largest Boeing widebody order ever placed by a Spanish airline.
Although Air Europa launched 787 operations through a year lease agreement to LOT, the aircraft received today, with registration EC-MIG (MSN 36412 / LN 397) is the first to wear the new livery of the carrier.
“Today’s delivery begins a new chapter in Air Europa’s story. The state-of-the-art 787 Dreamliner will provide us with significant operational advantages as we aim to expand our footprint around the globe,” said Juan José Hidalgo, President, Globalia, the parent company of Air Europa.
To date, Air Europa has a fleet of 59 aircraft, which includes a mix of Embraer regional jets and Boeing 737s for short and medium haul routes, plus seventeen Airbus A330 for its long-haul operations. Air Europa expects to have completed its transition to an all-Boeing long-haul fleet by 2022.
The airline is relying on Latin America as the cornerstone for its expansion plans. Next June, Air Europa will start flying to Bogota, Colombia, with the 787-8, with flights to Guayaquil in Ecuador planned to start in December. These two new routes join the non-stop service from Madrid to Caracas (Venezuela), Lima (Peru), Santa Cruz de la Sierra (Bolivia), Salvador de Bahía and Sao Paulo, in Brazil as well as Montevideo (Uruguay), Asuncion (Paraguay) and Buenos Aires in Argentina.
(culled from airwaysnews.com)
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