Earlier this week, Boeing launched the new 777-8 Freighter, a cargo version of its future flagship, the 777X with an order for up to 50 aircraft from the first customer airline, Qatar Airways.
Qatar Airways will be the 777-8 Freighter launch customer with a firm order for 34 jets and options for 16 more, a total purchase that would be worth more than $20bn at current list prices and the largest freighter commitment in Boeing history by value. US President Biden noted Qatar’s Boeing order also supports hundreds of US suppliers from across 38 states, will sustain more than 35,000 US jobs, and provide the American economy with an annual estimated economic impact of $2.6bn during the contract’s delivery period.
“Boeing has a long history of building market-leading freighter aircraft and Qatar Airways is honoured to have the opportunity to be the launch customer for the 777-8 Freighter, an aircraft which will not only allow us to further enhance our product offering for our customers, but also help us meet our objectives to deliver a sustainable future for our business,” said CEO HE Akbar al-Baker.
The cargo jet order was somewhat expected and has been in the works for around one year. Like other airlines, Qatar Airways was assessing a cargo version of the Airbus A350, known as the A350F, or the Boeing equivalent. However, with the relationship between Qatar Airways and Airbus breaking down over the last six months amid an ongoing issue of surface degradation on the A350, it became quite clear that Boeing was set to land the new cargo jet order.
But that’s not where the airplane shopping stopped. On the same day, in The White House, Boeing and Qatar Airways also signed a memorandum of understanding for a firm order of 25 737-10 aircraft — Boeing’s longest single-aisle jet. Qatar also secured purchase rights for 25 additional airplanes. The total value of this 737-10 commitment is nearly $7bn at current list prices.
The 737-10 is the longest version of the MAX and launched back on June 19, 2017 to compete with the Airbus A321neo and attempt to fill the gap in the market left by the 757. The MAX-10 has over 361 firm orders and commitments.
The airline said it “very much looks forward to adding the 737-10 to its fleet, with this new variant of the 737 being ideally suited to our short haul network, allowing us an opportunity to further enhance our product offering for our customers, modernise our fleet and operate the most efficient aircraft in its category”.
Boeing says the 737 Max-10 will offer the same capacity as the slightly longer Airbus A321neo, but will be 2.8 tonnes lighter, have lower fuel consumption and slightly greater range. Keeping up the fighting talk, Boeing also insist "We aren't looking to simply build something on par with the A321neo. We're bringing a better airplane to the market - and that's our focus."
The first MAX-10 fuselage arrived at Renton in early April 2019. The first aircraft was rolled out on November 19, 2019. Entry into service has been delayed until 2023 to develop changes required following the two fatal 737 MAX accidents shortly after its entry into service that triggered a grounding of the aircraft worldwide. After a 20-month review that included design and software changes as well as enhanced training, the FAA agreed in late 2020 to allow the plane to fly again. Airlines around the world began returning them to service last year
China became the latest country to state that 737 Max jets may resume commercial flights in China by the end of this year or early 2022, the nation’s Civil Aviation Administration said, a day after issuing an airworthiness directive that paved the way for the single-aisle jet to return to the Chinese skies after an almost three-year grounding.
China will also start introducing new Max aircraft around the same time, the agency said during a briefing, marking a key moment for the US plane-maker, which has already convinced most major global regulators about the jet’s safety following extensive fixes.
China’s domestic airlines must now complete any aircraft modification, pilot training and other work before the 737 Max is brought back into service, the Civil Aviation Administration of China said at a press briefing.
China was the first country to ground the Max, in March 2019, following the two crashes and had held off approving its return long after the US regulator lifted its ban in late 2020.
Ethiopian Airlines flew passengers on its 737 Max for the first time this week since the Ethiopian Airlines 737 Max accident nearly three years ago (which forced regulators to ground the fleet globally).
Ethiopian Airlines said in a statement on January 22 that the decision to resume flights came "after intense recertification" by multiple regulatory bodies. Ethiopia is among the last countries to return the 737 Max to service. We have taken enough time to monitor the design modification work and the more than 20 months of rigorous rectification process. Our pilots, engineers, aircraft technicians, cabin crew are confident of the safety of the fleet" the airline's CEO Tewolde Gebremariam said.
Boeing is confident the 737 Max – despite facing multiple crises shortly after its entry into service – will go on to become the short-haul workhorse of the skies. The crisis has cost Boeing some $20bn, not to mention a significant share of the crucial, single-aisle market now dominated by Airbus.
Qatar Airways will be the 777-8 Freighter launch customer with a firm order for 34 jets and options for 16 more, a total purchase that would be worth more than $20bn at current list prices and the largest freighter commitment in Boeing history by value. US President Biden noted Qatar’s Boeing order also supports hundreds of US suppliers from across 38 states, will sustain more than 35,000 US jobs, and provide the American economy with an annual estimated economic impact of $2.6bn during the contract’s delivery period.
“Boeing has a long history of building market-leading freighter aircraft and Qatar Airways is honoured to have the opportunity to be the launch customer for the 777-8 Freighter, an aircraft which will not only allow us to further enhance our product offering for our customers, but also help us meet our objectives to deliver a sustainable future for our business,” said CEO HE Akbar al-Baker.
The cargo jet order was somewhat expected and has been in the works for around one year. Like other airlines, Qatar Airways was assessing a cargo version of the Airbus A350, known as the A350F, or the Boeing equivalent. However, with the relationship between Qatar Airways and Airbus breaking down over the last six months amid an ongoing issue of surface degradation on the A350, it became quite clear that Boeing was set to land the new cargo jet order.
But that’s not where the airplane shopping stopped. On the same day, in The White House, Boeing and Qatar Airways also signed a memorandum of understanding for a firm order of 25 737-10 aircraft — Boeing’s longest single-aisle jet. Qatar also secured purchase rights for 25 additional airplanes. The total value of this 737-10 commitment is nearly $7bn at current list prices.
The 737-10 is the longest version of the MAX and launched back on June 19, 2017 to compete with the Airbus A321neo and attempt to fill the gap in the market left by the 757. The MAX-10 has over 361 firm orders and commitments.
The airline said it “very much looks forward to adding the 737-10 to its fleet, with this new variant of the 737 being ideally suited to our short haul network, allowing us an opportunity to further enhance our product offering for our customers, modernise our fleet and operate the most efficient aircraft in its category”.
Boeing says the 737 Max-10 will offer the same capacity as the slightly longer Airbus A321neo, but will be 2.8 tonnes lighter, have lower fuel consumption and slightly greater range. Keeping up the fighting talk, Boeing also insist "We aren't looking to simply build something on par with the A321neo. We're bringing a better airplane to the market - and that's our focus."
The first MAX-10 fuselage arrived at Renton in early April 2019. The first aircraft was rolled out on November 19, 2019. Entry into service has been delayed until 2023 to develop changes required following the two fatal 737 MAX accidents shortly after its entry into service that triggered a grounding of the aircraft worldwide. After a 20-month review that included design and software changes as well as enhanced training, the FAA agreed in late 2020 to allow the plane to fly again. Airlines around the world began returning them to service last year
China became the latest country to state that 737 Max jets may resume commercial flights in China by the end of this year or early 2022, the nation’s Civil Aviation Administration said, a day after issuing an airworthiness directive that paved the way for the single-aisle jet to return to the Chinese skies after an almost three-year grounding.
China will also start introducing new Max aircraft around the same time, the agency said during a briefing, marking a key moment for the US plane-maker, which has already convinced most major global regulators about the jet’s safety following extensive fixes.
China’s domestic airlines must now complete any aircraft modification, pilot training and other work before the 737 Max is brought back into service, the Civil Aviation Administration of China said at a press briefing.
China was the first country to ground the Max, in March 2019, following the two crashes and had held off approving its return long after the US regulator lifted its ban in late 2020.
Ethiopian Airlines flew passengers on its 737 Max for the first time this week since the Ethiopian Airlines 737 Max accident nearly three years ago (which forced regulators to ground the fleet globally).
Ethiopian Airlines said in a statement on January 22 that the decision to resume flights came "after intense recertification" by multiple regulatory bodies. Ethiopia is among the last countries to return the 737 Max to service. We have taken enough time to monitor the design modification work and the more than 20 months of rigorous rectification process. Our pilots, engineers, aircraft technicians, cabin crew are confident of the safety of the fleet" the airline's CEO Tewolde Gebremariam said.
Boeing is confident the 737 Max – despite facing multiple crises shortly after its entry into service – will go on to become the short-haul workhorse of the skies. The crisis has cost Boeing some $20bn, not to mention a significant share of the crucial, single-aisle market now dominated by Airbus.
* The author is an aviation analyst. Twitter handle: @AlexInAir
