• 787-8 Dreamliner
    Boeing
    Stock Code:
    BA
    Date Founded:
    1916-07-15
    CEO:
    Dave Calhoun
    Headquarters Location:
    Chicago, USA
    Key Product Lines:
    Boeing 737, Boeing 747, Boeing 757, Boeing 767, Boeing 777, Boeing 787
    Business Type:
    Planemaker

Boeing today spoke highly of the response that the freighter edition of the 777X is getting. The cargo powerhouse was announced in January this year and has already seen major airlines keen to get their hands on it.

Taking its time

Boeing President and CEO Dave Calhoun is confident that the 777 family, specifically the 777X, and its passenger and freighter versions, will find its way into a market where it is on its own. He shared that the widebody world used to be a three-way race between the 747, which the company kept alive, perhaps, in its own words, too long, (something many AvGeeks would disagree with); the Airbus A380, which Calhoun expressed “does not exist;” and the 777.

The manufacturer’s leadership states that in this next chapter, the 777 will be on its own. With its efficiency, it won’t be hard to fill, both with respect to passengers and freight. Notably, Boeing has been delaying the anticipated service entry date for the 777X, with the passenger variant entering service as late as 2025. Airlines across the industry were left frustrated with this revelation. However, Calhoun highlights that this shows the potential of the aircraft as customers are disappointed that they can’t get it sooner.

Boeing777xLarge (10) (1)
The 777X conducted its first flight in January 2025. Photo: Boeing

Word from the chief

Altogether, Boeing notes that reengineering deals to accommodate the new timeline went fairly quickly. A significant factor that has risen this year is the confirmation of the 777-8, which is expected to arrive in 2027 and has garnered great attention.

Calhoun shared the following during the Bernstein Strategic Decisions Conference today:

“Interest in the freighter version is very high. Very high. You saw Qatar Airways launched it, and Lufthansa jumped on it. There are a lot of good things going on with that freighter version. But we're playing the long game. I don't want to get caught in cert race, where everyone's trying guess about when is it going to be. So, like the first time we took the max cert out - nine months to a year from where it was previously scheduled, we put time in there for FAA discovery, and for regulator discovery around the world. That's what we've done in this case - given ourselves the right time, and try to incorporate all these lessons that we've learned through these things. I have to tell you, I've learned as much as anybody. I would have predicted things moving along a little faster, but things have changed. That process is harder, and in the end it's good.”

The_Boeing_777_8_Freighter_and_777_9
Freight operations have seen a spike in demand since the rise of the pandemic. Photo: Boeing

Stay informed: Sign up for our daily and weekly aviation news digests.

Plenty of potential

The 777-8 Freighter stole the headlines when it was announced that Qatar Airways would launch the plane with 34-unit order plus 16 options. The aircraft will be the world's largest cargo twinjet. The payload capacity is nearly identical to the 747-400 Freighter and will offer a 25% improvement in fuel efficiency supported by GE9X engines.

It’s important to note that when comparing widebodies, Calhoun did not make mention of an aircraft that will go head-to-head with the 777X this decade, the Airbus A350. This plane has become a flagship member of several fleets across the globe.

The passenger A350s have had 896 orders and 480 deliveries. Moreover, the freighter edition has already seen orders, with 22 units on the books so far.

Nonetheless, despite the program delays, the 777X is likely to take the aviation industry storm following its introduction. It will be a mainstay across both passenger and cargo operations by the time this decade is over.

What are your thoughts about the Boeing 777X? What do you make of the freighter variant’s potential? Let us know what you think of the overall type in the comment section.