Taiwan’s China Airlines studies Airbus, Boeing wide-bodies to renew fleet

China Airlines is choosing between Boeing’s yet-to-be certified 777X and the largest variant of Airbus’ A350 as it looks to retire existing long-haul jets, its president Kao Shing-Hwang said.

“We are looking for a new fleet” to replace the 10 Boeing 777-300ER it currently operates, Kao told Bloomberg Television in an interview.

Taiwan’s main airline is exploring Boeing’s upgraded 777 or the Airbus A350-1000, Kao said, without specifying a timetable for the upgrade.

Boeing previously won a deal for 16 787-9 Dreamliners from Taiwan’s main airline. At the Paris Air Show in June, it ordered eight more jets, and converted six to the larger -10 high-capacity planes.

The US planemaker could do with a boost to a sluggish order book for its delayed 777X flagship jet, even as its smaller 787 remains popular.

Airbus, meanwhile, has continued to pick up a steady stream of orders for its largest twin-aisle aircraft, most recently from Qantas Airways.