Boeing has announced significant orders for its 787 Dreamliner and 777 double-aisle planes from Japan Airlines and Korean Air. The company revealed on Monday that it secured orders for up to 80 aircraft, indicating that the U.S. manufacturer is working to regain its presence after recently losing ground to competitor Airbus.
Brad McMullen, Boeing’s sales operations chief, expressed appreciation for Japan Airlines’ continued partnership, noting their choice to modernize their fleet with the 787 Dreamliner. This announcement coincides with the opening day of the Farnborough International Airshow, a prominent trade event in the aviation industry. Japan Airlines is set to acquire 10 Dreamliners with an option for 10 more, while Korean Air has ordered twenty 777-9 models and twenty 787-10 planes, also with an option for an additional 10 787-10s.
The reference to a “long-standing partnership” comes after reports in March highlighted Airbus’s sale of 11 A321neo jets to Japan Airlines, marking a shift as it was the first acquisition of a single-aisle aircraft from a non-Boeing manufacturer. This purchase occurred amidst challenges Boeing faced with the 737 Max, which was facing a scandal and production slowdowns.
Similarly, officials noted that Korean Air has also shown interest in Airbus’s wide-body jets, potentially signaling a move away from its predominantly Boeing fleet. In response to Korean Air’s recent selections, Stephanie Pope, head of Boeing’s commercial airplanes division, expressed gratitude, emphasizing the role of Boeing aircraft in Korean Air’s operations over the past five decades and their commitment to supporting the airline’s sustainability and growth goals with the new 777X and 787 Dreamliner models.