Boeing has announced significant orders for its 787 Dreamliner and 777 double-aisle aircraft. The company revealed on Monday that it secured contracts for up to 80 planes from Japan Airlines and Korean Air. This move comes after Airbus had made inroads with these airlines during the early setbacks following the 737 Max incident in January. The new bookings indicate that Boeing is actively responding to these challenges.
Brad McMullen, head of Boeing’s sales operations, expressed appreciation for the alliance with Japan Airlines, acknowledging their decision to continue modernizing their fleet with the 787 Dreamliner.
This announcement coincides with the opening day of the Farnborough International Airshow, a key event in the aviation industry. Japan Airlines has placed an order for 10 Dreamliners with the option for an additional 10. Meanwhile, Korean Air has committed to 20 units of the 777-9 and 20 units of the 787-10, with the option for 10 more 787-10s.
The reference to a “long-standing partnership” with Japan Airlines recalls a report from March that noted Airbus sold 11 A321neo jets to the airline, marking its first purchase of a single-aisle aircraft from a manufacturer other than Boeing. The A321neo competes directly with the 737 Max, which was embroiled in controversy and experienced production delays at that time.
In a similar vein, reports indicated that Airbus had also sold multiple wide-body jets to Korean Air, which predominantly operates Boeing aircraft. This acquisition was perceived as a disregard for the 777x, which has only recently approached regulatory approval.
Stephanie Pope, head of Boeing’s commercial airplanes division, remarked on the significance of the orders from Korean Air, describing the planes as vital to the airline’s global network expansion and long-term sustainability goals.