Boeing has announced significant orders for its 787 Dreamliner and 777 double-aisle planes, securing commitments from Japan Airlines and Korean Air for up to 80 aircraft. This development comes as part of the company’s efforts to regain market presence after facing competitive pressure from Airbus, particularly following the issues related to Boeing’s 737 Max.
Brad McMullen, head of sales operations at Boeing, expressed appreciation for the ongoing partnership with Japan Airlines, stating their choice of the 787 Dreamliner is a key part of modernizing their fleet. At the Farnborough International Airshow, Japan Airlines confirmed an order for 10 Dreamliners, with an option for 10 additional units. Meanwhile, Korean Air has placed an order for 20 777-9 models and 20 787-10 planes, also with an option for 10 more 787-10s.
This comes after a report in March revealed that Airbus had secured an order for 11 A321neo jets from Japan Airlines, marking the first time the airline had purchased a single-aisle aircraft from a manufacturer other than Boeing. The A321neo competes directly with the 737 Max, which faced production issues during that time.
Similarly, Airbus had also sold several wide-body jets to Korean Air around that period, representing a notable shift for an airline whose fleet has predominantly consisted of Boeing aircraft. This decision was interpreted as a move away from Boeing’s 777x, which has been awaiting regulatory approval.
Stephanie Pope, head of Boeing’s commercial airplanes division, expressed pride in Korean Air’s choice of Boeing’s aircraft, highlighting their long-standing relationship and the role of Boeing planes in supporting the airline’s sustainability and growth objectives over the past 50 years.