Boeing has announced significant orders for its 787 Dreamliner and 777 double-aisle aircraft from Japan Airlines and Korean Air. The company revealed on Monday that it secured orders for up to 80 planes, a move that indicates Boeing’s response to recent competition from Airbus.
Brad McMullen, Boeing’s head of sales operations, expressed appreciation for the partnership with Japan Airlines, noting their commitment to modernizing their fleet with the 787 Dreamliner. During the Farnborough International Airshow, Japan Airlines confirmed an order for 10 Dreamliners, with the option for an additional 10. Additionally, Korean Air has ordered 20 777-9 models and 20 787-10 planes, also with the option for 10 more 787-10s.
The reference to a “long-standing partnership” comes after a Reuters report from March which highlighted Airbus’s sale of 11 A321neo jets to Japan Airlines, marking the airline’s first acquisition of a single-aisle plane from Airbus instead of Boeing. This sale occurred during a period of turmoil for Boeing, following a scandal involving the 737 Max and resulting production challenges.
Similarly, Bloomberg reported that Airbus had sold several wide-body jets to Korean Air, which predominantly operates Boeing aircraft. The report framed this as a possible snub to Boeing’s 777X, which has only recently been nearing regulatory approval.
Stephanie Pope, head of Boeing’s commercial airplanes division, remarked on the honor of Korean Air selecting their largest and most efficient wide-body planes. She emphasized Boeing’s integral role in Korean Air’s operations over the last 50 years, stating that the new orders would support the airline’s sustainability and growth objectives.