Boeing has announced significant orders for some of its major aircraft models. On Monday, the manufacturer revealed it had secured orders for up to 80 of its 787 Dreamliner and 777 double-aisle planes from Japan Airlines and Korean Air. This comes after rival Airbus made gains with these airlines in the wake of issues related to Boeing’s 737 Max. The recent bookings indicate that Boeing is responding to the competition.
Brad McMullen, head of Boeing’s sales operations, commented on the partnership with Japan Airlines, expressing satisfaction that the airline has opted for the 787 Dreamliner as it updates its fleet.
The announcement coincided with the opening day of the Farnborough International Airshow, a significant event in the aviation industry. Japan Airlines has placed an order for 10 Dreamliners, with an option for an additional 10. Meanwhile, Korean Air has ordered twenty 777-9 models and twenty 787-10 planes, along with an option for 10 more of the latter.
This move also highlights a shift in Japan Airlines’ purchasing strategies, as a previous report indicated that Airbus sold 11 A321neo jets to the carrier—marking its first acquisition of a single-aisle plane from a manufacturer other than Boeing. The A321neo competes with the 737 Max, which was encountering challenges at that time.
Simultaneously, Korean Air has also made purchases from Airbus, which have been interpreted as a lack of support for Boeing’s 777x model, currently awaiting regulatory approval.
Stephanie Pope, head of Boeing’s commercial airplanes division, acknowledged Korean Air’s selection of Boeing’s aircraft, emphasizing the long-standing relationship and the role these planes will play in supporting the airline’s sustainability and growth objectives.