All the predictions about the 777X. It's a tussle among the companies: who might have it in the fleet first
It seems to be an endless odyssey, that of the certification of the Boeing 777-9 and its first delivery to a customer. At almost [...]
Singapore Airlines
Qatar Airways
Lufthansa
Etihad Airways
Ethiopian Airlines
Emirates
Cathay Pacific
British Airways
All Nippon Airways (ANA)
Air India
Star Alliance
SkyTeam
Oneworld
Pare an endless odyssey, that of the certification of the Boeing 777-9 And of its first delivery to a client. A Nearly 4 1/2 years since the first flight of the airplane, it is still unknown when it will start carrying passengers.
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The other day, Singapore Airlines CEO Goh Choon Phong, he said. the airline remains confident in the possibility of receiving the first 777-9 by the end of 2025, reopening the debate over who will actually have the privilege of putting the airplane into service first.
Like him. Qatar Airways 'colleague' Badr Mohammed Al Meer, a few weeks had confirmed the possibility of deploying the aircraft, to which is linked the development of A new First Class that promises to be stellar, in fleet By the end of next year.
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Other companies, such as. Lufthansa and Emirates (the latter the main developer of the aircraft) have already put a cross on the entire 2025, saying they resigned to receiving the heir to the 777-300ER no earlier than 2026.
Thus, to say today Who will be the customer who first launches the Everett-made bireactor into the sky is impossible. Singapore Airlines and Qatar Airways appear to be in pole position, assuming that the statements of the respective CEOs are not mere attestations of trust, but news filtered from Boeing. That, for its part, Is actually saying that he will be able to deliver the first plane by the end of next year.
What is really happening, however, appears to be completely out of his control: the point is that, after the 737 MAX scandal and the repeated problems that have also touched the Boeing 787, both the American Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as much as the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). have tightened their grip on certification procedures for everything new coming out of Boeing's home.
The 737 MAX 7 and MAX 10 are suffering the same fate. of the 'big brother' 777-9, with the date of their certification continuing to slip (and consequently deliveries).
That the 777-9's is a real odyssey is also said by the years that have elapsed since the first orders placed by airlines: those of Lufthansa, Etihad and Cathay Pacific date as far back as 2013, that is, more than a decade ago. Not even those for the Boeing 747 had preceded by so much the actual delivery (to Pan Am) and entry into service of the legendary Jumbo.
However, of program cancellations there have been none, although some airlines over the years have converted some of the 777-9 orders into Dreamliner orders (but Singapore Airlines has, however, done the opposite). Thus, the figure updated to last April speaks of an order book that amounts to 481 airplanes destined for 12 customers.
Topping the list of future operators is Emirates, which in later stages came to order the beauty of 205 777X (i.e., both the -9 series and the -8 series, which is a shorter version of the -9 that never flew and of which not even an aircraft was built).
The second largest customer by number of aircraft ordered is Qatar Airways with 74, both passenger and cargo. Singapore Airlines has so far ordered 31, Lufthansa 27, Etihad 25, Cathay Pacific 21, All Nippon Airways 20, British Airways 18, Air India and Cargolux 10, Ethiopian Airlines 8 e Silk Way Airlines 2. An order dating back to June 2015 for 30 airplanes has no known customer.
The specifications state that. the 777-9 typically carries 350-360 passengers in a three-class configuration (First, Business and Economy), has a range of 13,500km, mounts the longest wings of any commercial aircraft at 71.75m of wingspan, in addition to the largest engines ever (considering the diameter), the General Electric GE9X-105B1A. In short, a plane in many ways amazing--when it is possible to board it.
