Boeing has announced major orders for its 787 Dreamliner and 777 double-aisle planes from Japan Airlines and Korean Air, securing commitments for up to 80 aircraft. This announcement, revealed on the first day of the Farnborough International Airshow, demonstrates Boeing’s response following Airbus’s recent wins with the airlines amid challenges stemming from earlier issues with Boeing’s 737 Max.
Boeing’s sales operations head, Brad McMullen, expressed satisfaction with the partnership with Japan Airlines, highlighting that they have chosen the 787 Dreamliner as part of their fleet modernization efforts. Japan Airlines has confirmed an order for 10 Dreamliners with an option for an additional 10. Korean Air, on the other hand, has placed orders for 20 models of the 777-9 and 20 of the 787-10, with the possibility of adding 10 more 787-10s.
This development comes after Airbus’s sale of 11 A321neo jets to Japan Airlines earlier in the year, signaling a shift as it marked the airline’s first purchase of single-aisle planes from a manufacturer other than Boeing. Reports also indicated that Airbus had made sales of wide-body jets to Korean Air, which primarily operates a Boeing fleet, suggesting a competitive tension as the industry evolves.
Stephanie Pope, head of Boeing’s commercial airplanes division, highlighted the importance of Boeing’s aircraft in supporting Korean Air’s growth and sustainability goals over the past 50 years, emphasizing the significance of both the 777X and 787 Dreamliner models in the airline’s future plans.