Boeing has secured significant orders for its 787 Dreamliner and 777 double-aisle aircraft from Japan Airlines and Korean Air, totaling up to 80 planes. This announcement was made on Monday, signaling the company’s response to competition from Airbus, which had made inroads with these airlines following troubles for Boeing related to the 737 Max.
Brad McMullen, head of Boeing’s sales operations, expressed satisfaction over Japan Airlines’ decision to continue its long-standing partnership with Boeing by ordering 10 Dreamliners with an additional option for 10 more. Meanwhile, Korean Air placed an order for 20 units of the 777-9 and 20 of the 787-10, with an option for 10 more 787-10s.
This announcement coincides with the Farnborough International Airshow, a key event in the aviation industry. Notably, Japan Airlines had previously ordered 11 A321neo jets from Airbus in March, marking a shift as it was the first time the airline procured single-aisle planes from a manufacturer other than Boeing. Additionally, there were reports that Airbus sold several wide-body jets to Korean Air during the same period, which could be seen as a strategic move amidst ongoing tensions between Boeing and Airbus.
Stephanie Pope, head of Boeing’s commercial airplanes division, stated, “We are honored Korean Air has selected our largest, most efficient widebody airplanes to add capacity to its global network.” She emphasized the crucial role of Boeing aircraft in Korean Air’s operations over the past 50 years and affirmed that the 777X and 787 Dreamliner will support the airline’s long-term goals for sustainability and growth.