Boeing has announced significant orders for its 787 Dreamliner and 777 double-aisle aircraft, securing commitments for up to 80 planes from Japan Airlines and Korean Air. This move comes after Airbus made inroads with these airlines following the issues surrounding Boeing’s 737 Max in January.
Brad McMullen, Boeing’s sales operations head, stated, “We value our long-standing partnership with Japan Airlines and are pleased that they have re-selected the 787 Dreamliner as they continue to modernize their world-class fleet.”
The announcement was made on the opening day of the Farnborough International Airshow. Japan Airlines has committed to purchasing 10 Dreamliners, with an option for 10 additional planes. Meanwhile, Korean Air has placed orders for 20 777-9 models and 20 787-10 aircraft, also with an option for 10 more 787-10s.
The phrase “long-standing partnership” highlights a Reuters report from March, which noted that Japan Airlines had purchased 11 A321neo jets from Airbus, marking its first acquisition of a single-aisle aircraft from a company other than Boeing. This occurred during a challenging period for Boeing, as the 737 Max faced ongoing scrutiny and production challenges.
Additionally, Bloomberg reported that Airbus had sold several wide-body jets to Korean Air, which predominantly operates Boeing aircraft. This order was viewed as a potential slight against Boeing’s 777x, which is nearing regulatory approval.
Stephanie Pope, head of Boeing’s commercial airplanes division, expressed gratitude to Korean Air, stating, “We are honored Korean Air has selected our largest, most efficient widebody airplanes to add capacity to its global network. Boeing airplanes have played an integral role with Korean Air over the past 50 years, and the 777X and 787 Dreamliner will continue to support the airline’s long-term goals for sustainability and continued growth.”