Boeing has announced significant orders for its largest aircraft, securing commitments for up to 80 of its 787 Dreamliner and 777 double-aisle planes from Japan Airlines and Korean Air. This news comes as a strong response to recent orders placed by these airlines with Airbus, following some adverse impacts from the Boeing 737 Max fiasco earlier in the year.
Brad McMullen, Boeing’s head of sales operations, expressed satisfaction with Japan Airlines’ decision to continue its partnership with Boeing by selecting the 787 Dreamliner for the modernization of their fleet. Japan Airlines has committed to 10 Dreamliners with an option for 10 more. Meanwhile, Korean Air has ordered 20 models of the 777-9 and 20 of the 787-10, also with an option for an additional 10 787-10s.
This announcement coincides with the commencement of the Farnborough International Airshow, a key event in the aviation industry. The context of these recent orders underscores a competitive landscape, as earlier this year, Japan Airlines made headlines by purchasing 11 Airbus A321neo jets, marking a notable shift away from exclusively using Boeing’s single-aisle aircraft. Similarly, Korean Air placed orders for several Airbus wide-body jets during that period, which was interpreted as a critique of the delayed 777X model.
Stephanie Pope, head of Boeing’s commercial airplanes division, expressed gratitude towards Korean Air for choosing Boeing’s most efficient widebody planes, underscoring Boeing’s long-standing association with the airline over the past 50 years. She noted that these aircraft will support Korean Air’s objectives for sustainability and growth.