State-owned flag carrier Qatar Airways has signed an agreement for 50 newly launched longest and most capable 777-8 Freighter aircraft from the American multinational aerospace company Boeing.
Boeing formally launched the new twin-engine 777-8 Freighter and expanded its market-leading 777X and Freighter families of jetliners with the order of Qatar Airways. Qatar Airways is the first customer of 777-8 Freighter with a firm order to 34 jets and options for 16 more worth more than $20 billion. This is the largest freighter commitment in Boeing’s history by value.
The agreement was signed by the Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Mr. Akbar Al Baker and Boeing Commercial Airplanes President and CEO Mr. Stan Deal at the White House, in the presence of US Commerce Secretary Ms. Gina Raimondo, Qatar Ambassador Sheikh Mishaal bin Hamad Al Thani, Director of the White House National Economic Council Mr. Brian Deese, and Boeing President and CEO Mr. Dave Calhoun. The first delivery of the new freighter is expected in 2027.
The order will support 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 $2.6 billion during the contract’s delivery period.
The 777-8 Freighter features advanced technology from the new 777X family and the proven performance of the market-leading 777 Freighter. Payload capacity is almost identical to 747-400 freighter, with a 25% improvement in fuel efficiency, emissions and operating costs, enabling a more sustainable and profitable business for 777-8 Freighter operators.
HE Akbar al-Baker Group CEO Qatar Airways
“Boeing has a long history of building market-leading freighter aircraft and Qatar Airways is honored 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.”
“Today marks a great day in the ever-building and strong relationship between Qatar Airways and Boeing. We certainly push Boeing hard to deliver upon our expectations, and the team at Boeing consistently strives to meet and exceed our expectations, giving the opportunity for us to be here today to launch the most significant new freighter aircraft for a generation,” Qatar Airways Chief Executive added.
Meanwhile, Mr. Stan Deal remarked that, “We are delighted to launch Boeing’s next great cargo airplane – the 777-8 Freighter – with Qatar Airways, one of the world’s largest cargo carriers and our partner since the airline began operations nearly 30 years ago.”
“Our team is ready to create an airplane that will serve them well for many decades. Qatar Airways’ selection of the efficient 777-8 Freighter is a testament to our commitment to provide freighters with market-leading capacity, reliability and efficiency,” Mr. Deal added.
Boeing is designing the 777-8 Freighter, the newest member of the 777X family, to maximize efficiency and environmental performance. The wide-body family features engineering design improvements and innovative technologies, including a new carbon-fiber composite wing and new fuel-efficient engines. With a range of 4,410 nautical miles (8,167 km), the 777-8 Freighter has a maximum structural payload of 118 tonnes, allowing customers to make fewer stops and reduce landing fees on long-haul routes.
Boeing has invested more than $1 billion into the Everett site to support 777X production and sustain thousands of local jobs for decades to come.
As part of the deal, Qatar Airways will convert 20 of its 60 777X family orders to 777-8 freighters. Qatar Airways ordered two current 777 freighters, Boeing’s best-selling freighters of all time, to capitalize on the upbeat air cargo market. Customers around the world have ordered 300 777 freighters since the program began in 2005.
Mr. Akbar Al Baker further elaborated that “Qatar Airways 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, modernize our fleet and operate the most efficient aircraft in its category.”
Boeing and Qatar Airways have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to purchase 25 additional aircraft with a firm order of 737 MAX 10 aircraft. The total value of this 737 MAX 10 commitment is about $7 billion at the current list price. The largest model in the Max family, 737 MAX 10 seats can fly up to 3,300 miles up to 230 passengers in a class configuration. The fuel-efficient jet can accommodate 99 percent of single-corridor routes around the world.
