Boeing recently announced significant orders for its 787 Dreamliner and 777 aircraft from Japan Airlines and Korean Air. The company revealed on Monday that it has secured commitments for up to 80 of its double-aisle planes, a move that indicates its ongoing competition with French rival Airbus, which had gained traction among these airlines earlier this year.
Brad McMullen, Boeing’s head of sales operations, expressed satisfaction with Japan Airlines’ continued choice of the 787 Dreamliner as they enhance their fleet.
This announcement coincides with the opening day of the Farnborough International Airshow, a key event in the aviation industry. Japan Airlines is set to acquire 10 Dreamliners, with an option for an additional 10. Meanwhile, Korean Air has ordered 20 units of the 777-9 model and 20 of the 787-10, with the option for 10 more of the latter.
Boeing’s reference to a “long-standing partnership” follows a report from March indicating that Airbus sold 11 A321neo jets to Japan Airlines, marking the first single-aisle purchase from an alternate manufacturer. This coincided with the ongoing troubles affecting Boeing’s 737 Max.
Similarly, reports from Bloomberg indicated that Airbus had secured several wide-body orders from Korean Air, which primarily operates Boeing aircraft. This order was interpreted as a rejection of Boeing’s 777X, which is nearing regulatory approval.
Stephanie Pope, head of Boeing’s commercial airplanes division, expressed appreciation for Korean Air’s selection of their largest, most efficient widebody aircraft, stating that Boeing has been a crucial part of the airline’s operations for 50 years and that the new models will aid in their sustainability and growth objectives.