Qatar Airways orders 777 freighters, asks for 777X freighter

June 21st 2019

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Boeing’s 777 freighter had its best year in 2018 with 45 sales. Read More »

At the Paris Air Show, Qatar Airways announced a new commitment for five 777 freighters in addition to the five 777 freighters it finalised at last year’s Farnborough International Airshow.

Qatar CEO, Akbar Al Baker, said the airline is willing to be the launch customer if Boeing develops a freighter based on the 777X.

Al Baker wants a 777X-based freighter in the mid-2020s. He seems intent on retiring current freighters when they turn 10, about the same age he targets passenger aircraft retirements, including his A380s. "By 2025, our initial freighters will be getting about 10 years old, so we will need to replace them,” Flightglobal reported.

Boeing senior vice-president of commercial sales and marketing, Ihssane Mounir said: "The natural progression of the family is to…have one production line that has three models – the -8, the -9 and some form of the freighter. We are talking to our 777 freighter customers in terms of when they would like us to bring that composite-wing freighter to market.”

Boeing has to calculate engineering resources and market demand. The 777 freighter is performing well. Since its launch in 2005, it has amassed 217 orders, including a record 45 in 2018.

This year China Airlines announced its intention to acquire its first 777 freighters and All Nippon Airways has taken delivery of its first 777 freighter this year.