Boeing has recently secured significant orders for its large aircraft, announcing on Monday that Japan Airlines and Korean Air have placed orders for up to 80 of its 787 Dreamliner and 777 models. This comes as a response to Airbus’s previous moves to capture market share among these carriers following Boeing’s recent setbacks with the 737 Max.
Brad McMullen, Boeing’s sales operations head, praised the enduring partnership with Japan Airlines, emphasizing their choice to continue with the 787 Dreamliner as they update their fleet.
This announcement coincides with the opening day 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 has committed to 20 777-9 aircraft and 20 787-10 planes, with the option for 10 more of the latter.
Historically, Japan Airlines’s move to purchase A321neo jets from Airbus earlier this year marked a shift, as it was the first time the airline acquired a single-aisle aircraft from a manufacturer other than Boeing. The A321neo competes directly with Boeing’s 737 Max, which was embroiled in controversy at that time.
Similarly, there were reports of Airbus securing orders for wide-body jets from Korean Air, which predominantly operates Boeing aircraft. This order was viewed as a slight to Boeing’s 777X, which has only recently received regulatory clearance.
Stephanie Pope, head of Boeing’s commercial airplanes division, expressed appreciation for Korean Air’s selection of their largest and most efficient wide-body aircraft to enhance its global operations. She highlighted the crucial role of Boeing planes in Korean Air’s operations over the past five decades, indicating that the 777X and 787 Dreamliner will be vital in achieving the airline’s sustainability and growth objectives.