Japan Airlines (JAL) is expected to announce an order at the Paris air show for a mix of Boeing 767s and 777s to replace its 15 McDonnell Douglas DC-10-40s, industry sources say.
"We are close to deciding on replacements for our DC-10s, which we are phasing out," says JAL. The airline declined to comment on whether an order would be announced at the show.
JAL ordered eight 777-200ERs and three 767-300ERs in late 2000 as part of a deal with Boeing to trade back 10 MD-11s. It chose the General Electric GE90 to power the 777s, having ordered eight Longer Range 777-300s in March last year, for which the GE engine is the exclusive powerplant.
The carrier had previously used Pratt & Whitney PW4000 engines to power its 777s. JAL's earliest 767s are equipped with Pratt & Whitney JT9Ds but the airline later switched to the GE CF6-80C2.
JAL's DC10-40s are all more than 20 years old.
Source: Flight International
