Boeing has secured significant orders for its 787 Dreamliner and 777 double-aisle aircraft from Japan Airlines and Korean Air. The announcement, made on Monday, reveals orders for up to 80 planes, signaling Boeing’s response to competitive pressures from Airbus, which had made inroads with these carriers earlier this year following the challenges faced by Boeing’s 737 Max.
Brad McMullen, Boeing’s sales operations head, emphasized the importance of the partnership with Japan Airlines, noting their choice to select the 787 Dreamliner as they upgrade their fleet. This announcement coincides with the opening day of the Farnborough International Airshow, a prominent industry event.
Japan Airlines is set to acquire 10 Dreamliners, with an option for 10 additional units. Korean Air has ordered twenty 777-9 aircraft and twenty 787-10 jets, along with an option for an extra 10 787-10s.
These developments recall a report from March indicating that Japan Airlines had purchased 11 A321neo jets from Airbus, marking their first acquisition of a single-aisle plane from a competitor. Similarly, Korean Air made a move to order several wide-body jets from Airbus around that time, indicating a shift amid Boeing’s ongoing regulatory challenges with the 777x.
Stephanie Pope, head of Boeing’s commercial airplanes division, expressed appreciation for Korean Air’s selection of Boeing’s aircraft, highlighting their historical role in the airline’s operations over the past 50 years and the alignment of the new orders with the airline’s sustainability and growth objectives.