Juneyao Air Receives New 787-9, Marking First Delivery to Chinese Carrier in Four Years

Juneyao Air, based in Shanghai, has recently acquired its seventh Boeing 787-9, signifying the first delivery of this aircraft model to a Chinese airline in the past four years. This event has sparked optimism in the aviation industry, suggesting the potential resumption of Boeing 737 MAX deliveries to Chinese carriers.

The latest aircraft, 787-9, embarked on its ferry flight from Everett to Shanghai Pudong on December 21, 2023. Boeing confirmed the successful delivery to Juneyao Air, which already has six 787-9s in operation, with the last one delivered in November 2019. The airline has three additional 787-9s on order. The newly delivered aircraft commenced its commercial service on December 26, covering routes such as Shanghai Hongqiao – Sanya – Shanghai Hongqiao. Juneyao Air expects to receive the remaining three 787-9s throughout 2024.

According to ch-aviation fleets advanced data, there are twenty-eight 787-9s pending delivery to various Chinese airlines, including orders from Ruili Airlines, Okay Airways, China Southern Airlines, China Eastern Airlines, Air China, and Suparna Airlines, along with the three additional planes for Juneyao Air.

Industry analysts, as reported by several outlets, view this delivery as an indicator that the Chinese government might be preparing to lift the halt on Boeing deliveries, potentially including the 737 MAX. Chinese airlines have a combined 255 B737 MAX aircraft pending delivery and undelivered.

Juneyao Air operates a diverse fleet and offers flights to 85 destinations across 12 countries. Its fleet, apart from the 787-9s, includes thirty-one A320-200s, eighteen A320-200Ns, twenty-seven A321-200s, and eleven A321-200Ns. The 787-9s are primarily used for domestic routes but also serve international destinations such as Helsinki Vantaa, Singapore Changi, and Milan Malpensa. The acquisition of the new B787-9 marks a significant milestone for Juneyao Air and indicates positive developments in the Chinese aviation sector’s relationship with Boeing.