Boeing recently revealed significant orders for its major aircraft models, announcing on Monday that it has secured commitments for up to 80 of its 787 Dreamliner and 777 double-aisle planes from Japan Airlines and Korean Air. This comes after Airbus made inroads with these carriers amidst Boeing’s challenges related to the 737 Max earlier this year. The new orders indicate that Boeing is actively working to regain its position in the market.
Brad McMullen, Boeing’s sales operations head, expressed appreciation for the partnership with Japan Airlines, which will be acquiring 10 Dreamliners with the option for an additional 10. Korean Air has placed an order for 20 777-9 and 20 787-10 aircraft, with an option for 10 more 787-10s.
The announcement was made during the Farnborough International Airshow, a key industry event. This comes after reports earlier this year indicated that Airbus had sold 11 A321neo jets to Japan Airlines, marking the first time the airline acquired a single-aisle model from anyone other than Boeing, amid ongoing issues with the 737 Max.
Similarly, reports indicated that Airbus had also sold several wide-body jets to Korean Air, traditionally a Boeing customer. This purchase was seen as potentially sidelining Boeing’s 777x model, which is nearing regulatory approval.
Stephanie Pope, head of Boeing’s commercial airplanes division, emphasized the significance of these orders, stating that Boeing’s aircraft have been vital to Korean Air for the past five decades, and the new models will enhance the airline’s network capacity while supporting its long-term sustainability and growth objectives.