Editing First Choice Airways (section)

===Aircraft orders===
The airline would have been the UK launch customer for the [[Boeing 787 Dreamliner]], having placed a firm order for six aircraft in February 2005, with an option for a further six. In December 2006, the airline announced the purchase of a further two 787 Dreamliners, taking its order to eight aircraft. In March 2007 First Choice Airways announced it was converting all four remaining options to orders, bringing the total to 12 aircraft.

Although planned to enter service in summer 2009, delays to the Boeing 787 programme mean that First Choice Airways would not have been able to introduce the aircraft to the fleet until 2011.<ref>{{cite news|title=Boeing 787 Dreamliner: a timeline of problems|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/comment/Boeing-787-Dreamliner-a-timeline-of-problems/|newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph]]|accessdate=13 April 2018}}</ref> Each Boeing 787-8 would have replaced a Boeing 767-300 on long haul routes as they were delivered. The deliveries were expected to take around two years, with six aircraft expected to be based at [[Manchester Airport]] and the remainder based at [[London Gatwick Airport]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.firstchoiceholidaysplc.com/fchplc/media/press/?ref=110&year=|title=TUI Group – Der weltweit führende Touristikkonzern|website=Firstchoiceholidaysplc.com|accessdate=9 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070514121413/http://www.firstchoiceholidaysplc.com/fchplc/media/press/?ref=110&year=|archive-date=14 May 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The 2008 merger with Thomsonfly meant the newly formed airline, Thomson Airways, inherited the orders and was the UK launch customer. Following the delays in Boeing's development programme, the airline began flights with its first 787 in June 2013<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/boeing-787-dreamliner-launch-300-passengers-enjoy-surprise-flight-as-the-future-of-aviation-departs-from-gatwick-8668683.html|title=Boeing 787 Dreamliner launch: 300 passengers enjoy surprise flight as|website=Independent.co.uk|date=22 June 2013 |accessdate=9 November 2018}}</ref>