Boeing has announced significant orders for its 787 Dreamliner and 777 double-aisle aircraft. On Monday, the company revealed it secured orders for up to 80 planes from Japan Airlines and Korean Air. This comes after Airbus had made inroads with these airlines during the fallout from the Boeing 737 Max incident earlier this year.
Brad McMullen, head of Boeing’s sales operations, expressed gratitude towards Japan Airlines for re-selecting the 787 Dreamliner as the airline modernizes its fleet. The announcement was made on the opening day of the Farnborough International Airshow, a key event in the aviation industry. Japan Airlines has committed to purchasing 10 Dreamliners with the option for an additional 10. Meanwhile, Korean Air has ordered twenty 777-9 models and twenty 787-10 planes, with an option for 10 more 787-10s.
The long-standing relationship between Boeing and Japan Airlines is noteworthy, especially considering a previous report revealing that Japan Airlines had purchased 11 A321neo jets from Airbus, marking its first acquisition of a single-aisle aircraft from a competitor. Similarly, Korean Air has also shown interest in Airbus products, having ordered several wide-body jets, which was perceived as a challenge to Boeing’s 777x, still awaiting regulatory approval.
Stephanie Pope, head of Boeing’s commercial airplanes division, stated that Korean Air’s selection of Boeing’s largest and most efficient wide-body aircraft will enhance its global network capacity. She emphasized the integral role Boeing has played in Korean Air’s operations over the past 50 years, asserting that the 777X and 787 Dreamliner will continue supporting the airline’s sustainability and growth objectives.