Boeing has announced significant orders for its largest aircraft, securing commitments for up to 80 of its 787 Dreamliner and 777 double-aisle planes from Japan Airlines and Korean Air. This news comes as a response to Airbus, which had recently gained some traction with these airlines amid disruptions from the Boeing 737 Max incidents earlier this year.
Brad McMullen, Boeing’s sales operations head, expressed appreciation for Japan Airlines, stating their ongoing partnership is valued and that the airline’s re-selection of the 787 Dreamliner reflects their efforts to modernize their fleet.
These announcements were made on the first day of the Farnborough International Airshow, a key event in the aviation industry. Japan Airlines has secured 10 Dreamliners with the option for an additional 10, while Korean Air has ordered twenty 777-9 aircraft and twenty 787-10 jets, with an option for 10 more of the latter.
This move by Japan Airlines to choose Boeing comes after a March report indicating that they had purchased 11 A321neo jets from Airbus, marking the first time they had acquired a single-aisle plane from a competitor. The A321neo directly competes with the 737 Max, which was facing major challenges at that time.
Bloomberg also reported earlier in the year that Airbus had sold several wide-body jets to Korean Air, traditionally a Boeing customer, indicating a potential shift in alliances amid ongoing issues surrounding the 777x airplane.
Stephanie Pope, head of Boeing’s commercial aviation division, expressed gratitude to Korean Air for their choice of the company’s wide-body aircraft, emphasizing the long-standing relationship and the contributions of Boeing planes to the airline’s operations over the past five decades.