Taiwan’s leading private airline, EVA Air, is sending the company’s eighth Boeing 787 Dreamliner to Taiwan. EVA Air received delivery of the plane at Boeing’s factory in South Carolina on Monday. The new airliner arrives in Taipei late Tuesday afternoon.
The Boeing 787 is made from a large amount of composite material to make it lighter and to reduce maintenance costs. The airliner also has two newly developed engines. The upgrades will mean a 20% reduction in fuel costs.
EVA Air President Clay Sun said Monday that it plans to expand the routes covered by its Boeing 787 fleets to cities in the western hemisphere, including Vancouver and Milan. EVA Air also plans to add direct flights, including ones to Paris and Vienna.
EVA Air announced plans to purchase a total of 24 Boeing 787s. The latest delivery marks the eighth one in the company’s fleet. The airline anticipates to receive the remaining 16 planes by 2022.