Boeing announced significant orders for its 787 Dreamliner and 777 double-aisle aircraft, with commitments for up to 80 planes from Japan Airlines and Korean Air. This move comes as Boeing seeks to reinforce its market position following earlier setbacks, particularly after rival Airbus made inroads into the same carriers.
Brad McMullen, head of Boeing’s sales operations, expressed the company’s satisfaction with Japan Airlines’ decision to once again choose the 787 Dreamliner for its fleet modernization efforts. Japan Airlines has ordered 10 Dreamliners with the potential for an additional 10.
Korean Air has placed orders for 20 777-9 models and 20 787-10 planes, also including an option for another 10 of the latter.
This development occurs during the Farnborough International Airshow, a prominent event in the aviation industry. Previously, there were reports indicating that Airbus had made some headway with Japan Airlines by selling 11 A321neo jets, marking the first occasion the airline acquired a single-aisle aircraft from a non-Boeing company.
Similarly, Airbus was reported to have sold several wide-body jets to Korean Air, which predominantly operates Boeing aircraft, suggesting competitive pressure on Boeing’s offerings, particularly the 777X.
Stephanie Pope, head of Boeing’s commercial airplanes division, remarked on Korean Air’s selection of Boeing’s widebody aircraft, asserting that the 777X and 787 Dreamliner would align with the airline’s growth and sustainability objectives.