Air Tahiti Nui Finalizes Order for Two Boeing 787-9s

French Polynesian flag carrier Air Tahiti Nui has finalized an order for two Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, which the manufacturer values at $514 million at current list prices.

“The Dreamliner order heralds an exciting new era for international travel to and from the world’s most beautiful islands – Tahiti,” says Michel Monvoisin, Air Tahiti Nui’s chairman and CEO. “The entire Air Tahiti Nui family is proud, excited and highly committed to the successful introduction of the Boeing 787-9 into Air Tahiti Nui’s global network.”

On April 30, 2015, French Polynesian flag carrier Air Tahiti Nui finalized an order for two Boeing 787-9s. Until then Air Tahiti Nui had been purely an Airbus customer

Air Tahiti Nui, which is a new customer for the Boeing 787, has also agreed to lease two additional 787-9s from Air Lease Corporation (ALC), according to Boeing.

Until now Air Tahiti Nui has been entirely an Airbus customer. It operates a fleet of five A340-300s.

ALC, which was formed and is headed by aircraft-leasing legend Steven Udvar-Hazy when he left International Lease Finance Corporation (better known as ILFC, a leasing-industry giant that Udvar-Hazy helped found) after it was purchased by American International Group, is based in Los Angeles’ Century City business and shopping district.

Century City is near the famous Beverly Hills neighborhood, where many of the world’s top film stars live. ILFC, which was purchased from AIG in 2014 by AerCap, is also based in Century City, its offices being located within a few hundred yards of ALC.

Air Tahiti Nui is headquartered in Papeete on the island of Tahiti in the South Pacific.

As the leading carrier in French Polynesia, Air Tahiti Nui links Tahiti with four continents. Its flights include a daily round-trip from Tahiti non-stop to Los Angeles and Air Tahiti Nui flies on from there to Paris.