Boeing has announced significant orders for its 787 Dreamliner and 777 double-aisle aircraft from Japan Airlines and Korean Air. On Monday, the company revealed that it had secured orders for up to 80 of these planes, indicating that it is actively responding to competition from Airbus, which had previously gained traction with these airlines following issues with Boeing’s 737 Max.
Brad McMullen, head of Boeing’s sales operations, expressed appreciation for the long-standing partnership with Japan Airlines, noting that the airline has chosen the 787 Dreamliner as part of its fleet modernization efforts.
This announcement coincides with the start of the Farnborough International Airshow, an important event for the aviation industry. Japan Airlines has placed an order for 10 Dreamliners, with the option for an additional 10. Meanwhile, Korean Air has ordered 20 777-9 models and 20 787-10 planes, also with the option for 10 more of the latter.
The reference to a “long-standing partnership” highlights a prior report from March, which revealed that Airbus sold 11 A321neo jets to Japan Airlines. This marked the first instance of Japan Airlines acquiring a single-aisle aircraft from a manufacturer other than Boeing. The A321neo competes directly with the 737 Max, which was facing a scandal and production challenges at the time.
Additionally, there were reports of Airbus selling several wide-body jets to Korean Air, which primarily operates Boeing aircraft. This development was seen as a potential slight against Boeing’s 777X, which has only recently approached regulatory clearance.
Stephanie Pope, head of Boeing’s commercial airplanes division, stated her honor at Korean Air’s choice of Boeing’s largest and most efficient widebody planes to enhance its global network. She emphasized the significance of Boeing aircraft in Korean Air’s operations over the past 50 years and reaffirmed that the 777X and 787 Dreamliner will support the airline’s sustainability goals and future growth.