Boeing has announced a significant acquisition of orders for its 787 Dreamliner and 777 double-aisle aircraft. On Monday, the aerospace giant revealed it had secured orders for up to 80 planes from Japan Airlines and Korean Air. This comes after Airbus had begun to gain traction with these airlines during the early repercussions of the January incident involving the Boeing 737 Max.
Brad McMullen, Boeing’s head of sales operations, expressed satisfaction with Japan Airlines’ renewed commitment to the 787 Dreamliner, highlighting the strong partnership between the two companies. The announcement coincided with the launch of the Farnborough International Airshow, a key event in the aerospace industry.
Japan Airlines will be acquiring 10 Dreamliners along with the option to purchase an additional 10. Korean Air has committed to 20 777-9 models and 20 787-10s, also with an option for 10 more 787-10s.
This development contrasts with a Reuters report from March, which indicated that Airbus sold 11 A321neo jets to Japan Airlines—a significant purchase as it marked the first time the airline bought a single-aisle aircraft from a manufacturer other than Boeing. Additionally, Bloomberg noted that Airbus had also sold several wide-body jets to Korean Air during that period, suggesting these purchases were a response to the challenges faced by Boeing, particularly concerning the 777x aircraft.
Stephanie Pope, head of Boeing’s commercial airplanes division, expressed gratitude to Korean Air for selecting Boeing’s latest and most efficient widebody aircraft, asserting that Boeing has been integral to Korean Air’s operations for the past 50 years. She emphasized that the 777X and 787 Dreamliner will aid the airline’s sustainability and growth objectives in the long run.