Qantas Kills Order for 15 Boeing Dreamliners

He said Qantas announced its original 787 order in 2005 and the "operating environment for the world's airlines has clearly changed dramatically since then."

"Delaying delivery, and reducing overall B787 capacity, is prudent, while still enabling Qantas and Jetstar to take advantage of growth opportunities and market demands, both domestically and internationally," he said in a statement.