MIAT Mongolian Airlines Welcomes First Boeing 787-9, Begins Revenue Operations

MIAT Mongolian Airlines (OM) has taken delivery of its inaugural Boeing 787-9 aircraft and swiftly introduced it into commercial service. The aircraft, registered as EI-MGL and built in 2019, was originally delivered to Suparna Airlines (Y8) before undergoing maintenance and transitioning to MIAT’s fleet.

The Boeing 787-9, configured for up to 292 passengers with a layout that includes business class, economy plus, and economy cabins, commenced revenue operations shortly after its arrival in Ulaanbaatar. The inaugural flight from Ulaanbaatar International to Seoul Incheon marked its entry into service.

The aircraft will be followed by another 787-9, registered as B-208C, expected to be delivered in early 2024. MIAT plans to deploy these aircraft on routes to Seoul, Frankfurt International, and Istanbul Airport. Additionally, they will facilitate MIAT’s launch of flights to the United States in the first half of 2024. However, it is worth noting that before commencing direct flights to the US, Mongolia needs to achieve FAA International Aviation Safety Assessment Category 1 status.

The introduction of these new 787-9 aircraft will phase out MIAT’s existing 767-300ER fleet, which includes an in-house aircraft and another wet-leased from Omni Air International. Previously, MIAT had plans to dry-lease two B787-9s from Air Lease Corporation, but the contract signed in 2019 was ultimately canceled in 2021 due to delays exceeding 12 months.