Boeing has announced significant orders for its 787 Dreamliner and 777 double-aisle aircraft, securing commitments for up to 80 planes from Japan Airlines and Korean Air. This development, shared on Monday, signals Boeing’s response to competition from French rival Airbus, particularly after losing ground to them following the January incident involving the 737 Max.
Brad McMullen, Boeing’s sales operations head, expressed appreciation for the long-standing partnership with Japan Airlines, emphasizing their decision to continue modernizing their fleet with the 787 Dreamliner. The announcement coincided with the opening of the Farnborough International Airshow, a key event in the aviation industry. Japan Airlines has ordered 10 Dreamliners with an option for an additional 10. Meanwhile, Korean Air has placed an order for twenty 777-9 models and twenty 787-10 aircraft, also with the possibility of 10 more 787-10s in the future.
This move comes after reports of Japan Airlines purchasing 11 A321neo jets from Airbus in March, marking a shift as it was the first acquisition of a single-aisle aircraft from a manufacturer other than Boeing. At that time, the A321neo competed with the 737 Max, which was under scrutiny and facing production challenges. Similarly, Bloomberg highlighted that Airbus had secured orders for several wide-body jets from Korean Air, historically a Boeing customer, potentially as a challenge to the Boeing 777x, which is nearing regulatory approval.
Stephanie Pope, head of Boeing’s commercial airplanes division, conveyed Boeing’s commitment to supporting Korean Air’s growth and sustainability endeavors through its latest models, the 777X and 787 Dreamliner.