Boeing has made significant strides by securing orders for up to 80 of its 787 Dreamliner and 777 double-aisle aircraft from Japan Airlines and Korean Air. This announcement came on Monday, marking a strategic move for the U.S. aerospace giant as it competes with its French rival, Airbus, which had recently made inroads with these carriers.
Brad McMullen, head of Boeing’s sales operations, expressed appreciation for the ongoing relationship with Japan Airlines, highlighting their choice to reselect the 787 Dreamliner as part of their fleet modernization efforts.
The announcement coincides with the opening day of the Farnborough International Airshow, a key event in the aviation industry. Japan Airlines placed an order for ten Dreamliners with an option for ten more, while Korean Air committed to purchasing twenty 777-9 models and twenty 787-10 aircraft, with an additional option for ten more 787-10s.
This development is particularly notable given recent reports indicating Airbus’s success in selling 11 A321neo jets to Japan Airlines, marking the first purchase of a single-aisle plane from a competitor. The A321neo poses competition to Boeing’s 737 Max, which faced scrutiny and production challenges at the time.
Additionally, Bloomberg noted that Airbus had secured several orders for wide-body jets from Korean Air, which predominantly operates Boeing aircraft, suggesting a competitive stance against the 777X, which is nearing regulatory approval.
Stephanie Pope, head of Boeing’s commercial airplanes division, voiced her honor in having Korean Air select Boeing’s largest, most efficient widebody aircraft to enhance its global operations. She emphasized Boeing’s long-standing partnership with Korean Air over the past 50 years, affirming that the 777X and 787 Dreamliner will play crucial roles in the airline’s sustainability goals and ongoing growth.