Boeing has recently announced substantial orders for its 787 Dreamliner and 777 double-aisle airplanes, securing commitments from Japan Airlines and Korean Air. On Monday, the company revealed it had received orders for up to 80 jets. This development comes in the wake of Airbus making gains with these carriers following challenges faced by Boeing, notably the issues surrounding the 737 Max earlier this year.
Brad McMullen, Boeing’s sales operations head, expressed his satisfaction with Japan Airlines reaffirming its choice of the 787 Dreamliner as they modernize their fleet. Japan Airlines will acquire 10 Dreamliners with an option for 10 additional planes, while Korean Air has placed an order for 20 777-9 models and 20 787-10 jets, also with the option for 10 more 787-10s.
This announcement coincided with the opening day of the Farnborough International Airshow, a key event in the aviation industry. The reference to a “long-standing partnership” highlights a previous report indicating that Airbus sold 11 A321neo jets to Japan Airlines, marking the airline’s first purchase of a single-aisle aircraft from anyone other than Boeing. This move occurred amid the ongoing issues surrounding the 737 Max, which faced significant scrutiny and production challenges.
Similarly, reports indicated that Airbus had made sales of wide-body aircraft to Korean Air, which primarily operates Boeing planes. This was perceived as a blow to Boeing’s 777X as it nears regulatory approval.
Stephanie Pope, head of Boeing’s commercial airplanes division, stated her honor in Korean Air choosing Boeing’s largest and most efficient widebody aircraft to expand its global operations. She emphasized that Boeing planes have been vital to Korean Air for the past 50 years and that the 777X and 787 Dreamliner will further support the airline’s sustainability and growth objectives.