Qatar shops at Boeing

At a ceremony at the White House on 31 January, Qatar Airways and Boeing signed several orders, including the launch order for the Boeing B777XF, which will now be called the B777-8F.

In total, the airline has ordered 34 B777-8Fs, with options on another sixteen. Of the 34, twenty are conversions of Qatar's 60-strong order for the passenger-variants of the B777X, which brings the airline's net firm B777X-orders to 74; 34 freighters and 40 passenger-aircraft. The first B777-8F delivery is expected to take place in 2027.

The new B777-8F will have a similar payload as the B747-400F but will be 25% more efficient. These are similar capabilities as the newly launched A350F but it's good to note that the A350F is a lighter airframe.

Next to the order for the B777-8F, Qatar also ordered two additional B777Fs and also signed a Memorandum of Understanding for 25 B737-10s, the largest variant of the MAX-family. The deal for the MAX also includes options on another 25. Although a previous order for the MAX was canceled by Qatar due to the Corona-pandemic, the order is not a surprise as Airbus recently canceled the airline's order for 50 A321neos in their ongoing A350-dispute.

Illustration by Boeing.