SEATTLE, Sept. 24, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — Boeing [NYSE: BA] and All Nippon Airlines (ANA) announced that the ANA Group has ordered an additional 11 787-9 Dreamliners. The order, valued at $2.7 billion at current list prices, bring the total number of 787s ANA has ordered to 66 airplanes consisting of 36 787-8s and 30 787-9s.

“The improved fuel efficiency and greater seating capacity of the 787-9 will provide ANA with added flexibility,” said Hideki Kunugi, Head of Aircraft Purchasing & Sales at ANA. “The new Dreamliners will also help support the profitable expansion of ANA’s international and domestic routes in the future.”

ANA, the launch customer for the 787 Dreamliner, is Boeing’s largest commercial airline customer for the 787 Dreamliner.

“As a repeat 787 customer we are honored to have ANA validate the 787 as a truly game-changing airplane in commercial aviation,” said Ihssane Mounir, senior vice president of Sales and Marketing for Japan, Greater China and Korea, Commercial Airplanes. “We look forward to celebrating many more milestones with ANA and are committed to supporting ANA as we continue to make history together.”

The airline has announced plans to launch a new route from Narita to San Jose starting January 2013 using the 787, while current services between Narita and Seattle service will switch to 787 operations on Oct. 1, 2012 and Haneda to Beijing to the 787 on October 28, 2012.

The Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner is a slightly longer version of the 787-8 and will carry 250-290 passengers on routes of 8,000 to 8,500 nautical miles (14,800 to 15,750 kilometers). The 787 provides airlines with incredible fuel efficiency, resulting in exceptional environmental performance. The airplane uses 20 percent less fuel than today’s similarly sized airplanes. It travels at a speed of Mach 0.85, which is similar to the speed of other Boeing twin-aisle airplanes.

Source and image: Boeing