Boeing has announced significant orders for its 787 Dreamliner and 777 double-aisle aircraft, totaling up to 80 units from Japan Airlines and Korean Air. This announcement, made on Monday, signals Boeing’s efforts to regain ground after competitor Airbus had made inroads during the fallout from the 737 Max incident earlier this year.
Brad McMullen, head of Boeing’s sales operations, expressed his appreciation for Japan Airlines’ continued investment in the 787 Dreamliner, highlighting their long-standing partnership. The announcement was made at the Farnborough International Airshow, a key event in the aviation industry.
Japan Airlines has committed to purchasing 10 Dreamliners with an option for an additional 10. Meanwhile, Korean Air has placed an order for 20 models of the 777-9 and 20 787-10 planes, also with the option for 10 more 787-10s.
Boeing’s recent orders come after a report from Reuters earlier this year, noting that Japan Airlines purchased 11 Airbus A321neo jets, marking the first occasion the airline opted for a single-aisle plane from a manufacturer other than Boeing. This occurred amid the ongoing issues with the 737 Max, which had been under regulatory scrutiny.
Additionally, Bloomberg reported that Korean Air had also acquired several wide-body jets from Airbus, a move perceived as a slight to Boeing’s 777X, which is still in the process of obtaining regulatory approval.
Stephanie Pope, head of Boeing’s commercial airplanes division, celebrated Korean Air’s decision to select Boeing’s largest and most efficient widebody aircraft, emphasizing the long-term relationships and mutual goals of sustainability and growth shared with the airline over the past 50 years.