Boeing has announced significant orders for its major aircraft, revealing on Monday that it has secured orders for up to 80 of its 787 Dreamliner and 777 double-aisle airplanes from Japan Airlines and Korean Air. This development indicates that Boeing is responding to competition from its French rival Airbus after the latter made moves to attract these carriers following the recent problems associated with Boeing’s 737 Max.
Brad McMullen, Boeing’s sales operations head, expressed appreciation for the long-standing partnership with Japan Airlines, noting their re-selection of the 787 Dreamliner as part of their fleet modernization efforts.
This announcement coincides with the opening day of the Farnborough International Airshow, a prominent industry event. Japan Airlines has committed to acquiring 10 Dreamliners with the option for an additional 10. Meanwhile, Korean Air has placed an order for 20 777-9 models and 20 787-10 airplanes, also with the option for 10 more 787-10s.
The mention of the “long-standing partnership” is particularly relevant considering a Reuters report from March, which highlighted that Japan Airlines had ordered 11 A321neo jets from Airbus, marking the first time the airline purchased a single-aisle aircraft from a manufacturer other than Boeing. This A321neo competes directly with the 737 Max, which was then embroiled in controversy and facing production challenges.
Additionally, Bloomberg reported around that same period that Airbus had secured sales of several wide-body jets to Korean Air, a carrier predominantly operating Boeing aircraft. This order was perceived as a slight against Boeing’s 777x, which is currently nearing regulatory approval.
Stephanie Pope, the head of Boeing’s commercial airplanes division, expressed her gratitude, stating that Korean Air’s choice of Boeing’s largest and most efficient widebody airplanes will enhance its global network capacity. She emphasized the integral role Boeing aircraft have played in Korean Air’s operations over the past 50 years, asserting that the 777X and 787 Dreamliner will continue to support the airline’s sustainability and growth objectives.