Boeing has announced significant orders for its largest aircraft, securing agreements for up to 80 of its 787 Dreamliner and 777 planes from Japan Airlines and Korean Air. This comes after Airbus made strides with these carriers following a setback for Boeing related to its 737 Max in January. The recent bookings indicate that Boeing is actively responding to competition from Airbus.
Brad McMullen, Boeing’s sales operations head, expressed appreciation for the long-term partnership with Japan Airlines, noting their decision to continue modernizing their fleet with the 787 Dreamliner.
The announcement was made on the first day of the Farnborough International Airshow, a key event in the aviation industry. Japan Airlines plans to acquire 10 Dreamliners, with an option for an additional 10. Meanwhile, Korean Air has committed to 20 777-9 models and 20 787-10 aircraft, along with the option for 10 more 787-10s.
This development comes in light of a previous report indicating that Airbus had sold 11 A321neo jets to Japan Airlines, marking the first purchase of a single-aisle aircraft from a competitor. Similarly, there were reports of Airbus selling several wide-body jets to Korean Air, which has primarily relied on Boeing planes.
Stephanie Pope, head of Boeing’s commercial airplanes division, remarked on the significance of the orders from Korean Air, emphasizing the long-standing relationship between the two companies and how the new aircraft will aid the airline’s sustainability and growth objectives.