Boeing has announced significant orders for its 787 Dreamliner and 777 double-aisle planes, securing up to 80 orders from Japan Airlines and Korean Air. This update, shared on Monday, indicates that Boeing is pushing back against recent competition from Airbus, which had made inroads with these airlines following the issues with the 737 Max aircraft earlier this year.
Brad McMullen, Boeing’s head of sales operations, expressed appreciation for Japan Airlines’ continued partnership, highlighting their decision to re-select the 787 Dreamliner as the airline upgrades its fleet. The announcement coincided with the start of the Farnborough International Airshow, a key event in the aviation industry. Japan Airlines has ordered 10 Dreamliners with an option for an additional 10, while Korean Air is set to receive twenty 777-9 models and twenty 787-10 planes, also with an option for 10 more 787-10s.
This decision by Japan Airlines to order from Boeing follows an initial report in March stating that Airbus had sold 11 A321neo jets to the airline—marking a significant change as it was the first instance of Japan Airlines purchasing a single-aisle aircraft from a manufacturer other than Boeing. This occurred during a challenging period for Boeing as the 737 Max faced a major scandal and significant production challenges.
Similarly, there were reports that Korean Air had purchased several wide-body jets from Airbus, a move that was perceived as a rejection of the Boeing 777x, which is only recently nearing regulatory approval. Stephanie Pope, head of Boeing’s commercial airplanes division, remarked on the longstanding relationship between Boeing and Korean Air, affirming that the new 777X and 787 Dreamliner models will support the airline’s sustainability efforts and growth objectives for the future.