Boeing has announced significant orders for its large aircraft, securing commitments for up to 80 of its 787 Dreamliner and 777 double-aisle planes from Japan Airlines and Korean Air. This development comes as a response to earlier moves by French competitor Airbus, which attracted these airlines during the turbulence following issues with Boeing’s 737 Max earlier this year.
Brad McMullen, Boeing’s head of sales operations, expressed appreciation for the long-standing partnership with Japan Airlines, stating their enthusiasm for the airline’s decision to select the 787 Dreamliner as it updates its fleet.
This announcement coincides with the opening day of the Farnborough International Airshow, a significant event in the aerospace industry. Japan Airlines has committed to 10 Dreamliners with an option for 10 additional units. Meanwhile, Korean Air has ordered twenty 777-9 aircraft and twenty 787-10 jets, with the possibility of adding 10 more 787-10s.
The reference to their enduring relationship with Japan Airlines highlights a Reuters report from March wherein Airbus sold 11 A321neo jets to the airline, marking its first purchase of a single-aisle plane from a manufacturer other than Boeing. The A321neo competes with the troubled 737 Max, which was embroiled in scandals and production slowdowns at that time.
Similarly, Bloomberg noted that Airbus had sold several wide-body aircraft to Korean Air, which traditionally operates a Boeing-heavy fleet. This order was perceived as a slight to the delayed 777x model, which is still awaiting regulatory clearance.
Stephanie Pope, head of Boeing’s commercial airplanes division, stated her honor in Korean Air choosing Boeing’s most advanced widebody aircraft to enhance its global capacity. She emphasized Boeing’s longstanding collaboration with the airline over the past five decades and affirmed that the 777X and 787 Dreamliner will play vital roles in supporting Korean Air’s sustainability and growth objectives.