Boeing has announced significant orders for its 787 Dreamliner and 777 double-aisle aircraft, securing commitments for up to 80 planes from Japan Airlines and Korean Air. This announcement comes as a response to earlier competition from Airbus, which had gained ground with those carriers following issues with Boeing’s 737 Max.
Brad McMullen, Boeing’s head of sales operations, expressed satisfaction with Japan Airlines’ continued commitment to the 787 Dreamliner, emphasizing the importance of their long-standing partnership.
The announcement was made on the first day of the Farnborough International Airshow, a key event in the aviation industry. Japan Airlines has committed to purchasing 10 Dreamliners, with an option for an additional 10, while Korean Air has ordered twenty 777-9 models and twenty 787-10 planes, also with an option for 10 more 787-10s.
This follows reports earlier in the year that Japan Airlines purchased 11 Airbus A321neo jets, marking a significant move away from its exclusive reliance on Boeing for single-aisle aircraft. Similarly, Korean Air made decisions to acquire several wide-body jets from Airbus, which served as a blow to Boeing’s 777x model, still pending regulatory approval.
Stephanie Pope, head of Boeing’s commercial airplanes division, welcomed Korean Air’s choice of Boeing’s most efficient widebody aircraft, highlighting their long relationship and the role Boeing planes have played in the airline’s operations over the past 50 years. She reiterated that the 777X and 787 Dreamliner will support the airline’s ambitions for sustainability and growth.