Boeing are the big winners in the aircraft manufactures' battle to supply Taiwanese airline EVA Air for their major fleet renewal programme.
EVA have decided to stick with Boeing, despite evaluating both Airbus and Boeing aircraft in what is a major wide-body fleet renewal. According to local media the airlines chairman Kuo Wei Chang said his plans were to increase the fleet from its current 62 aircraft total to around 100 planes.
The very first phase of this exceptional fleet enhancement will see five Boeing 777-Fs replacing the eight older B747-400F's. During the second and third phases an order of more than ten B787-10s and an undisclosed number of B777Xs being delivered.
However it is not al bad news for European Airbus, as Chang has hinted their are ahead in the plans for the short haul or narrow-body fleet renewal evaluation which could see the airline making an order for of five A321neo aircraft. Back in January the company advised the media it was then looking at both the A320neo and the Boeing B737 MAX for their future narrow-body fleet requirements. Apparently it would seem that Airbus are slightly ahead in the battle.
There are also unconfirmed mutterings from inside the airline that they may be about to off load their two VIP configured Airbus A318 aircraft for bigger aircraft. The airline is apparently also considering a merging its regional airline Uni Air into its mainline fleet.