Boeing has announced significant orders for its 787 Dreamliner and 777 double-aisle aircraft, securing bookings for up to 80 planes from Japan Airlines and Korean Air. This development comes as a response to Airbus, which had gained traction with these airlines following challenges faced by Boeing due to a recent incident with its 737 Max.
Brad McMullen, Boeing’s sales operations leader, expressed appreciation for the ongoing partnership with Japan Airlines, noting their decision to select the 787 Dreamliner as they update their fleet. Japan Airlines will acquire 10 Dreamliners, with an option for an additional 10.
At the same time, Korean Air has placed an order for 20 777-9 models and 20 787-10s, along with an option for 10 more 787-10s.
The announcement took place on the first day of the Farnborough International Airshow, a key event in the aviation industry. Both airlines’ recent orders are viewed in the context of previous sales by Airbus; earlier this year, Japan Airlines purchased 11 A321neo jets from Airbus, marking the first time they procured a single-aisle aircraft from a manufacturer other than Boeing. Additionally, Korean Air had also transitioned to Airbus for some wide-body jets.
Stephanie Pope, head of Boeing’s commercial airplane division, highlighted the importance of the new orders, emphasizing Boeing’s long-standing relationship with Korean Air over the past 50 years and the role of the 777X and 787 Dreamliner in meeting the airline’s sustainability and growth objectives.