Boeing Wins Massive 160 Aircraft Deal from Qatar Airways, and More

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Boeing Secures Record $96 Billion Qatar Airways Deal During Trump Middle East Tour

Boeing has secured its largest-ever widebody aircraft deal with Qatar Airways, ordering 160 twin-aisle jets valued at $96 billion during President Trump's visit to Qatar.

The historic agreement includes firm orders for 130 Boeing 787 Dreamliners and 30 777X aircraft, all powered by GE Aerospace engines, with options for an additional 50 planes.

Key Points

• Record-Breaking Scale: The $96 billion agreement represents Boeing's largest-ever widebody order and the largest order for 787 Dreamliners, significantly bolstering its order backlog, which already included 521 orders for 777X and 828 orders for 787 aircraft as of April 30.

• GE Aerospace Engine Package: Qatar Airways selected GE Aerospace's GEnx engines for the 787s instead of Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines, while the 777X will feature the exclusive GE9X engine, totaling approximately 400 engines in what GE CEO Larry Culp called their largest engine order ever.

• Strategic Timing: The deal provides Boeing a significant advantage as Airbus A350s with Rolls-Royce engines have reportedly faced maintenance challenges in extremely hot environments, particularly in Gulf region operations.

• Boeing's Recovery Context: This major win arrives at a critical juncture for Boeing, which experienced a 60% drop in orders and a 34% decline in deliveries last year following safety issues with the 737 MAX and a production-halting strike that involved 33,000 machinists from September through early November 2024.

• Delivery Timeline: The 777X portion faces continued development delays with deliveries now expected to begin in 2026, six years behind the original schedule, while Qatar Airways already has existing orders for 94 777X aircraft.

• Economic Impact: Boeing claims the deal will support nearly 400,000 American jobs, reinforcing the company's position as America's largest exporter despite remaining unprofitable since 2018.

My Final Thoughts

This landmark deal represents a crucial lifeline for Boeing amid ongoing production challenges, while reinforcing Qatar Airways' ambitious growth strategy in the premium long-haul market.

The selection of GE engines over Rolls-Royce highlights shifting dynamics in the aircraft engine market, particularly for hot-weather operations.

The order significantly reshapes the competitive landscape between Boeing and Airbus in the widebody segment for the next decade.

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