Air Tahiti Nui (TN, Papeete) has selected Boeing (BOE, Washington National) over Airbus (AIB, Toulouse Blagnac) for its fleet renewal requirements following intense boardroom deliberations the Tahitian press has reported. Despite a last-minute push by the Europeans with their A350-900 and A330 products, the carrier's board reportedly stuck with their initial decision to go with the Americans.

A key factor in the airline's decision is Paris's continued dalliance on whether or not it will renew a law exempting tax on investments in France's overseas territories (Loi de Développement Économique des Outremers - LODEOM) - set to expire on December 31, 2017. Without the renewal, and with Airbus only able to deliver aircraft in 2019/2020 at the earliest, it would result in each Airbus jet costing EUR67million (USD76.3million) more than previously anticipated.

As it stands, Air Tahiti Nui will operate a total of four B787-9s - two of which will be acquired while the other two will be leased. The first of the jets will arrive in late 2018/early 2019.

"It's something we've been working on for over a year," CEO Michel Monvoisin told the Tahiti Infos site. "Choosing the right type of aircraft has taken into account several parameters: suitability to our routes; fuel consumption; capacity; its future... So we made ​​some pretty extensive studies."

Four of the carrier's A340-300s are to be sold off for spares while the other will be returned to its lessor in 2018.