Boeing has announced significant orders for its 787 Dreamliner and 777 double-aisle aircraft from Japan Airlines and Korean Air. On Monday, the company revealed it had secured commitments for up to 80 planes, following a competitive period where Airbus had gained traction with these airlines due to issues surrounding Boeing’s 737 Max.
Brad McMullen, Boeing’s head of sales operations, expressed gratitude for the ongoing partnership with Japan Airlines, highlighting their choice to continue modernizing their fleet with the 787 Dreamliner. Japan Airlines has ordered 10 Dreamliners, with the option for an additional 10.
During the first day of the Farnborough International Airshow, Korean Air placed orders for 20 777-9 models and 20 787-10 planes, also reserving the option for 10 more 787-10s.
This announcement follows a recent shift where Japan Airlines notably purchased 11 A321neo jets from Airbus, marking a departure from exclusively acquiring planes from Boeing. Similarly, reports indicated that Airbus sold several wide-body jets to Korean Air, a notable move given that the majority of its fleet is composed of Boeing aircraft.
Stephanie Pope, head of Boeing’s commercial airplanes division, expressed pride in Korean Air’s selection of Boeing’s aircraft, emphasizing their historical collaboration and the role these new models will play in the airline’s sustainability and growth objectives.