Boeing has announced significant orders for its 787 Dreamliner and 777 double-aisle aircraft, securing commitments from Japan Airlines and Korean Air. The company revealed on Monday that these airlines have expressed interest in acquiring up to 80 of its planes, a strategic move following competitive pressures from Airbus during the aftermath of a recent incident involving Boeing’s 737 Max.
Brad McMullen, Boeing’s head of sales operations, emphasized the enduring partnership with Japan Airlines, highlighting their decision to continue using the 787 Dreamliner for modernizing their fleet. Japan Airlines will purchase 10 Dreamliners with an option to acquire 10 additional units. Korean Air has committed to ordering 20 models of the 777-9 and 20 of the 787-10, with options for 10 more 787-10s.
This announcement coincides with the opening day of the Farnborough International Airshow, an important industry event. Previously, Japan Airlines made headlines in March when it purchased 11 A321neo aircraft from Airbus, marking its first acquisition of a single-aisle aircraft from a competitor other than Boeing.
In tandem, reports indicated that Korean Air had also bought multiple wide-body jets from Airbus, potentially signaling a shift as the airline’s fleet has primarily featured Boeing aircraft. Boeing aims to counter these developments by reinforcing its long-term relationship with Korean Air, which Stephanie Pope, head of Boeing’s commercial airplanes division, stated will help support the airline’s sustainability and growth objectives.