Boeing’s April orders report has unexpectedly mentioned 28 commitments to the 777X family, new deals, but ones that come from an unidentified customer.

As Boeing progresses with the long-delayed, lengthy certification process for this type, new deals such as these are a further vote of confidence in the capabilities as it approaches entry into service in 2027.

These 28 jets, while logged as from an unidentified customer for the moment, will eventually have their endpoint revealed and follow a typical theme that planemakers adopt in monthly reporting data, with new deals not always having their end airline or lessor attached at the time of filing.

Airbus also confirmed this week that it had secured additional orders for its A350-900; however, the customer remains unidentified for now, with the end location to be revealed at a later date.

Where The Boeing 777X Program Sits Today

Six years after being promised to enter service, the 777X remains uncertified; however, commercially, it has enjoyed greater success in recent years, with its order backlog growing despite the adversity faced in obtaining certification.

As Boeing looks to strengthen its backlog, facilitating deliveries and maintaining strong cash flow are key to achieving the intended recovery, and these orders show that airlines still believe in the jet despite significant delays and customer frustration.

The 777X has ultimately endured a costly, prolonged approval process and launched as a key successor to the 777-300ER but also, fundamentally, an answer to aging quad-engined jets, with multiple variants and efficiency improvements such as the GE9X.

Certification delays, paired with quality-related issues at Boeing, have hindered the program since 2019, pushing back the EIS well beyond targets and costing the planemaker $15 billion in charges.

Boeing, however, is now flying production-standard 777-9s and is aggressively working to complete key flight testing to get the plane past the final stages of certification. With these developments in mind, it can firmly target 2027 deliveries for airlines such as Emirates and Lufthansa.

Airlines Commit To The Boeing 777X: More To Come

Despite its lack of approval, the 777X program already boasts a strong backlog from some of the largest international airlines, legacy and network carriers alike.

Emirates remains the largest backer of the plane, with repeated top-up purchases, meaning it can expect close to 300 aircraft in the future, including the hoped-for release of a model such as the 777-10 as an attempt to pursue a dedicated replacement for the A380 in terms of capacity and efficiency.

However, beyond that, it’s airlines like Qatar Airways and Etihad Airways, also in the Gulf, that are betting big on the 777X becoming a key flagship to complement existing next-generation and more mid-sized wide-body aircraft. This comes as they look to progressively move away from quad-engined superjumbos like the A380 in favour of efficiency.

The jet also has a presence with British Airways, Asian carriers like Cathay Pacific, ANA, Korean Air, and Air India have also bought the plane, which indicates the appeal of intercontinental routes here. Now, with 28 more unidentified slots, the intrigue begins about who has decided to commit to the jet, especially with China swarming for a new deal.

There are still many orders to come for an aircraft like the 777X, but as the 777-300ER still, for most, isn’t at a replacement age, the newest model remains unproven and uncertified. Consequently, some companies are reluctant to take the risk this early and will make their fleet decisions in the latter stages of this decade and into the next.

Source: djsaviation