FWIW - has been widely reported, based on a recent story by Bloomberg, that Korean Air is looking to buy 'around 20' A350s, I am hearing the official announcement of this could come as early as tomorrow (Thursday March 21).

Korean Air to sign contract with Airbus for A350s

(Seoul, March 21, 2024)

Korean Air will sign a contract with Airbus for the procurement of 33 state-of-the-art A350 family aircraft. The deal, which includes 27 A350-1000s and six A350-900s, is valued at USD 13.7 billion.

The order will supplement the airline’s long-term fleet operations as it gradually retires its older aircraft. The procurement of the next-generation, eco-friendly A350 is not only aligned with the airlines’ sustainability efforts, but also is seen as preparation for the integration of Asiana Airlines.

The A350-1000 is the largest in the A350 family, and can accommodate from 350 to 410 passengers in a standard three-class configuration. The aircraft makes use of advanced composite materials, resulting in reduction in fuel consumption and carbon emissions of up to 25%, in comparison to similarly sized previous generation aircraft models.

With the longest flight range among existing passenger aircraft, the A350-1000 can operate up to 16,000km with full payload.

The A350-900 variant is about 7 meters shorter than the A350-1000 with a range of 15,370km and typically seats 300-350 passengers in a three class layout. The airline can deploy the aircraft on its long-haul routes such as Seoul Incheon-New York, where the airline currently operates two daily flights.

In addition to the agreement to purchase 33 A350s, Korean Air plans to introduce 50 Airbus A321neos, 10 Boeing 787-9s, 20 Boeing 787-10s, and 30 Boeing 737-8s. The airline will continue to prioritize fleet modernization and reduction of carbon emissions through the operation of new aircraft and other sustainability activities.

I'm sure "we already ordered a bunch of A350s to replace our 777s in preparation for the merger with Asiana" is going to have American regulators rushing to get this approved ASAP (sarcasm).

Yes, US regulators also appreciate the depth of the hole that BA has dug for itself. And, they understand that only half of the parts are manufactured in the US, so they aren't fooled by the "Buy American" idea.