Alaska Air To Convert Parts Of Its Boeing 787 Order To The Largest Variant

Alaska Air (ALK) is reportedly converting part of its outstanding Boeing 787 jet order to the larger 787-10 variant.

According to a Reuters News report, citing the company, the airline will share more details, including the number and timing of deliveries, soon.

Alaska Air aims to serve at least 12 long-haul destinations from Seattle by 2030, as it seeks to challenge larger U.S. operators following the acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines. It intends to launch direct flights to Seoul this month and to Rome by 2026. Its international expansion will be supported by its plans to expand its Boeing 787 fleet to 17 aircraft.

According to its website, Alaska Air maintains an operational fleet of four Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners and about 243 Boeing 737 jets of various models.

The 787-10s are the largest variants of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner family. To date, Boeing has received orders for 270 of this variant of the aircraft, with British Airways and Qatar Airways placing the biggest orders. However, the list of customers does not include any U.S. airlines.

Retail sentiment on Stocktwits about Boeing was in the ‘bullish’ territory at the time of writing, while traders were ‘bearish’ about Alaska Air.

Boeing’s Defense Unit In ‘Attack’ Mode

The planemaker is currently grappling with a strike at its defense unit. According to reports, Boeing is now looking to employ new workers to replace striking members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) in its St. Louis area facilities.

Over 3,200 Boeing workers with the IAM union went on strike in August after rejecting a modified four-year labor agreement. The union members manufacture and assemble fighter jets, such as the F-15 and F/A-18, as well as other critical defense programs.

The strike comes at a time when Boeing is seeking to expand its manufacturing capacity in the area as it prepares to build the sixth-generation fighter jets for the U.S. military.

"Boeing is doubling down on its mismanagement by saying it plans to hire replacement workers to build military aircraft and equipment, instead of negotiating with their dedicated, generational, and skilled workforce," IAM International President Brian Bryant said.

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