Boeing has announced significant orders for its 787 Dreamliner and 777 double-aisle aircraft from Japan Airlines and Korean Air. On Monday, the company reported securing orders for up to 80 planes, indicating that it is working to regain ground after rivals like Airbus made moves in the Asian carrier markets following challenges related to the 737 Max.
Brad McMullen, Boeing’s sales operations head, expressed satisfaction with Japan Airlines’ decision to continue its partnership by ordering 10 Dreamliners with an option for an additional 10. Korean Air placed an order for twenty 777-9 models and twenty 787-10 planes, along with an option for another 10 787-10s.
This announcement coincides with the opening day of the Farnborough International Airshow, a prominent event in the aviation industry. The reference to a “long-standing partnership” highlights previous moves by Airbus that included selling 11 A321neo jets to Japan Airlines, marking a shift as it was the first single-aisle plane order from a non-Boeing manufacturer. The A321neo competes directly with the 737 Max, which was facing scrutiny and production delays at that time.
Similarly, reports from Bloomberg noted that Airbus had secured orders for several wide-body jets from Korean Air, which mainly operates Boeing aircraft. This development was seen as a slight against Boeing’s 777x model, which has just begun to approach regulatory approval.
Stephanie Pope, head of Boeing’s commercial airplanes division, expressed gratitude for Korean Air’s decision, stating that Boeing aircraft have been a vital part of the airline for the last 50 years, and the new orders will support the airline’s sustainability and growth objectives.