Boeing has made significant progress in securing orders for its large aircraft, announcing on Monday that it has achieved commitments for up to 80 units of its 787 Dreamliner and 777 double-aisle planes from Japan Airlines and Korean Air. This surge in bookings indicates that Boeing is actively countering the encroachments made by its competitor Airbus, particularly after the latter successfully lured some clients during the turbulence following the January incident involving the 737 Max.
Brad McMullen, head of Boeing’s sales operations, expressed satisfaction regarding Japan Airlines’ decision to reaffirm its choice of the 787 Dreamliner as part of its fleet modernization efforts. “We value our long-standing partnership with Japan Airlines and are pleased that they have re-selected the 787 Dreamliner,” he stated.
This announcement coincides with the opening of the Farnborough International Airshow, a prominent event in the aviation industry. Japan Airlines has ordered 10 Dreamliners with an option for an additional 10, while Korean Air has committed to purchasing twenty 777-9 models and twenty 787-10 planes, with the option for 10 more 787-10s.
The mention of a “long-standing partnership” hints at prior developments reported by Reuters, which revealed that Airbus sold 11 A321neo jets to Japan Airlines. This marked the first instance of the airline procuring a single-aisle plane from a manufacturer other than Boeing, occurring at a time when Boeing was embroiled in a major scandal and facing production challenges.
Additionally, Bloomberg reported similar developments for Korean Air, noting that the airline had opted for several wide-body jets from Airbus despite a fleet predominantly consisting of Boeing aircraft. This was perceived as a slight towards Boeing’s 777x, which is only now nearing regulatory approval.
Stephanie Pope, head of Boeing’s commercial airplanes division, shared her enthusiasm about Korean Air’s decisions, stating, “We are honored Korean Air has selected our largest, most efficient widebody airplanes to add capacity to its global network. Boeing airplanes have played an integral role with Korean Air over the past 50 years, and the 777X and 787 Dreamliner will continue to support the airline’s long-term goals for sustainability and continued growth.”