Boeing Announces New 777X Family Order

Boeing has secured another order for its 777X family, and even the older 777 family, with a deal involving up to 10 new widebody jets, all freighters.

China Southern Cargo has signed a significant deal, with a push not just for the 777-8F as the future of its operations, but also for previous-generation jets.

The New Boeing Order Broken Down

China Southern Air Logistics has agreed to purchase seven Boeing freighters, with options for a further three should it wish to acquire them.

As part of the deal, the company is looking at a mix of jets, with the deal structured to address not only the visible long-term needs but also the short-term requirements in the coming years.

The mix sees two of the current generation 777Fs, and these models are more readily available than the 777-8F, which is uncertified and reliant on progress with the passenger model of the 777-9, expected to debut in 2027 with airlines after lengthy delays.

The 777-8F component of the deal, given that it is the long-term solution, is larger, with five jets ordered and options for a further three, should the business want to exercise them at a later date. That pathway opening up gives room to scale deliveries if market conditions justify it.

At the combined list price, this is a deal worth just over USD 3.6 billion, including the engines. However, companies rarely pay the list price, with heavy savings from it; this is just a valuation.

Becoming the first mainland China customer for the 777-8F from Boeing is significant; it marks a new era of freighter operations in Asia, and certainly in China, and signals a shift towards next-generation cargo-capable models rather than the older jets still in service.

More Details Become Clear On The Deal

As part of the order, the filings cited by Chinese media expect the jets to be delivered in due course, with the 777Fs becoming the first aircraft the business will receive, and the 777-8F becoming available once certification and EIS are cleared, which is still some time away.

The 777Fs will be the more short- to medium-term solution, as the fate of the 777-8F remains unclear, with much work still needed to certify the jet. The transaction remains subject to approval by China Southern’s general shareholder meeting and the relevant state authorities in China.

For Boeing, and especially China Southern, the freighter expansion is a bet. This decisive move shows ambition for the long-term demand for air freight out of China, and particularly the need to meet it with an efficient composition.

Growing the 777F fleet means adding jets the business is already familiar with and improving service globally, including to important North American and European cities. The 777-8F, meanwhile, is the future. China Southern joins others who have placed an early bet that this will become the backbone of the freight fleet.

As China and Boeing’s relations look to stabilise, with many new aircraft on order and the tease of hundreds more to come, securing deals like these when relations are positive is critical.