Boeing "Very Confident" That 777X Deliveries Will Start Next Year

Under the gloomy atmosphere of the 2025 Paris Air Show, following the tragic Air India accident the week prior, Boeing significantly reduced its plans. One of the few events it maintained, though, was a presentation to the media about the Boeing 777X's interior and overall specifications by the company's Customer Leader for 777Xs and Freighters, Justin Hale.

Boeing

Stock Code

BA

Business Type

Planemaker

Date Founded

July 15, 1916

CEO

Kelly Ortberg

The aircraft's entry into service has been delayed several times over the last decade, with some airlines still unconvinced by the current timeline. On the sidelines of the presentation, I had a brief conversation with Hale about the status of the 777X, including his thoughts on the program's status.

"Very Confident" On A 2026 Deadline

Photo: Falcons Spotters | Shutterstock

Boeing's new 777X aircraft is set to fill the gap that will be created in the absence of the Boeing 747 and Airbus A380, Hale said in his presentation. He described the plane as being "uniquely positioned in a changing widebody landscape," with the -9 variant offering the most capacity compared to any current-generation airplane with up to 426 seats. Previous generation planes such as the A380, can seat 586. In this changing landscape, the 777X fills the market for high-capacity, long-range planes. The A350-1000 is its closest competitor, capacity-wise, seating up to 376 people

The aircraft has been delayed several times, though Hale says he is "very confident that the airplane can enter service in 2026." His conviction stems from daily interactions with the development program, allowing him to positively assess "the progress that we're making." I asked Hale about Boeing's attitude towards often frustrated customers, using the example of Emirates. The UAE-based airline had previously said it did not expect the plane until at least 2027. Hale responded:

"Emirates is not our first delivery airplane [ie inaugural customer], so when they talk about their airplanes coming in 2027, they're not at the front of the delivery stream and that was their choice of positioning. I think it's very important to be able to sit down with them and we do, regularly, with all of our customers,and talk about the progress we are making and the status of our certification work. We're very involved. Every two weeks, we have direct phone calls with all of those customers as a group and then we meet individually with them continuously as well."

551 Unfilled Orders So Far

Photo: Dan Nevill | Wikimedia Commons

Emirates is by far the largest airline that has ordered the 777X, but it is not the inaugural customer. Instead, Lufthansa is set to be the first. The German flag carrier ordered 20 Boeing 777-9s and seven 777-8Fs. Boeing confirmed the airline would receive the inaugural 777X delivery back in an earnings call at the start of this year.

There are three 777X variants, including the smaller -8 and the larger -9, as well as a freighter version known as the 777-8F. The Boeing 777-9 will be the first of the three to enter service. The 777-8F will come in 2028. No specific year has been shared for the 777-8, but Hale did share that the 777-8 will follow its freighter counterpart.

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The table above shows the Boeing 777X's orders per ch-aviation data. More than 500 planes have been ordered by 14 airlines, with a few further undisclosed customers.

The Hong Kong airline expects to receive the Boeing 777X in 2027 or even later.

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Closer To Certification After Recent Thrust Link Fix

Photo: Boeing

Boeing can be more confident about its entry into service plan for the -9 variant. Recently, the company managed to find a solution to thrust link issues. It said last month that it would be introducing new, redesigned engine thrust links. These would allow a transfer of thrust from the engine to the aircraft structure. Prior to the fix, Boeing was forced to suspend testing of the plane after cracks were found in the original thrust links. The redesigned links will not have a "vibratory response," hence eliminating the possibility of cracks.

Boeing hopes that the latest fix will bring it closer to certification and eventually, entry into service. Airlines, including Lufthansa, are eagerly awaiting deliveries as the delays force carriers to extend the life of older-generation planes that would otherwise be retired. The clock is ticking - and so is customer patience.