No Qantas Boeing 777X Order

Qantas has had an interest in the Boeing 777 since its conception, but even with the 777X launched, no order has come.

What led to the initial interest in the 777X, and why did Qantas ultimately opt against the long-haul product from the American planemaker for the second time in the space of two and a half decades?

A Pitch To Airbus and Boeing

Qantas’ pitch to planemakers of Airbus and Boeing was for its Project Sunrise initiative. To this day, the unlaunched project represents what has long been described as the final frontier of travel.

The Australian flag-carrier’s bid has been apparent: to launch the longest passenger flights in the world and break boundaries previously set by aircraft. Qantas is hoping to leverage a state-of-the-art plane to push the limits of commercial travel.

Once launched, Qantas wanted to connect the primarily East Coast of Australia with the likes of Melbourne and Sydney to the world without a single stop, which meant flying to London and New York, most notably.

For such an endeavour to be possible, Qantas needed an aircraft capable of reaching these markets without a stop, allowing Airbus and Boeing to put forward their best solutions to the airline’s request.

With Qantas’ request obviously came the requirement for range; however, what the flag-carrier did not want to be at the expense of was passenger comfort. Breaking the boundaries set by existing commercial aircraft was one thing, but ensuring those flights remained comfortable was another.

For Airbus and Boeing, they needed to either put forward an existing model from the A350 or 777X programs, or, if they truly wished to go one further, possibly adapt an existing program to gain the upper hand.

Both planemakers knew just how lucrative this contract would be and therefore put their best foot forward to push Qantas toward their respective offerings.

The A350 vs 777X

From the beginning, only two families were capable of offering anything close to what Qantas wanted to achieve with its Project Sunrise flights.

The Airbus A350 and the Boeing 777X families were immediately touted as the two options for the company, and with that came the push from both planemakers to put forward their best deal and show why they should be selected over the other competing manufacturer.

On Airbus’ side, it was the A350-1000 that was put forward, specifically the A350-1000ULR, with an additional fuel tank. The -1000 model, already equipped with sufficient capacity over the A350-900, now with a larger tank, enabled a range increase.

For the Australian flag-carrier, this left much on the table for consideration, with capacity and range among the biggest focal points of the requests, especially given that, upon planned configuration, there was to be no removal of Economy Class.

The hope with the endeavour was that it would be accessible to all types of customers, and that, for those flying at the back of the cabin, whatever was selected there would have a means of movement.

From the American planemaker, the counteroffer was simple: it’s the 777-8, a model that, since launch, has struggled to attract any firm interest, and Boeing hoped the smaller capacity, while it may have been a downside, would be offset by strong range.

Ultimately, each model had its strong points, and the airline, after receiving each proposal, began lengthy discussions with the two manufacturers about its concerns, hopes, delivery timelines, and the deal itself.

While both models were considered, some analysts and observers pointed to Qantas’ longstanding involvement in the 777 program as a way Boeing may finally secure a commitment to the long-haul type.

But What About The First 777?

Much of the talk surrounding a prospective deal for the 777X being a culmination of many decades’ worth of interest in the series stems back to the birth of the 777 program itself in the 1990s.

The 777 launched with thanks to a “Working Together Group.” This initiative by Boeing brought together leading airlines worldwide to help create a next-generation twin-engine, highly efficient plane compared to what was on the market.

All Nippon Airways, American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Delta, Japan Airlines, United, and the Australian flag carrier Qantas were part of this “Working Together Group.”

The Australian company’s involvement in this Group helped put forward its preferred design elements, such as capacity requirements, optimal range, and cabin configuration, to get the plane to market.

Why Qantas has always been a focal point of this working together Group is because of its lack of order to follow; every other airline that was part of this collective went on to purchase the 777, but not the Australian airline.

Qantas’ decision not to order the 777 was driven by fleet studies underway, including determining the ideal long-haul fleet combination.

Across the 1990s, studies occurred, and into the 2000s, before the primary competition was confirmed to be the 747 and A380 from Boeing and Airbus, respectively. This move positioned the airline to operate under a dual quad-engined strategy, a strategy also seen at other international airlines.

While Qantas’ participation in the Group that helped launch the 777 was ultimately necessary, it didn’t mean the airline had to purchase the plane; the Group’s outlier made it a focal point.

Therefore, with such a long-term interest in the 777 and relationship despite not having flown it, some felt it possible Boeing would finally win over the company with its latest iteration in the 777X

Qantas’ Final Decision

Unfortunately, for those who wanted the 777 to make an appearance in Qantas’ fleet, it never felt quite meant to be, as Airbus began to gain the upper hand early in the RFP process.

Speaking with pilots of the Australian carrier on the sidelines of the 2019 Avalon Airshow, they confirmed that Airbus was the frontrunner and that a deal for the A350-1000 could be all but locked in, with only formal approval needed.

One of the primary reasons Airbus was able to edge out Boeing quickly was the concerns with the 777X program, let alone the aircraft that had been put forward in the 777-8.

The smaller variant of the two in the 777-8 was always going to be second to be certified, the primary model, the 777-9, first; however, in 2019, problems with the GE9X engine were already beginning to emerge, and as a result, uncertainty was placed on the certification of the broader series.

If delays were already to be felt with the 777-9, these would then have a knock-on effect on the 777-8, which was to come years after the larger model. Qantas, unaware of an impending pandemic, remained adamant that it wanted Project Sunrise to launch sooner rather than later.

Even though Airbus would need to move ahead with a separate certification program and approval for the A350-1000ULR, by then all A350 models would have been certified and in service, giving Qantas greater confidence.

In the end, the 777X and the broader program would be snubbed, for the second time running, with the A350-1000 ordered in 2022 after a delay in the order confirmation driven by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Now, with the A350-1000ULR expected in the coming years, even with delays, Qantas can enter what it calls the final frontier of travel, hindsight showing that even its commitment to Airbus has experienced delays, but certainly not comparable to the 777X and therefore the right option for the business in more ways than one.