Boeing has confirmed it is offering a freighter version of the B777X widebody to the market. Qatar Airways (QR, Doha Hamad International) is likely to become its launch customer with an announcement said to be imminent.
"We are currently offering the freighter version of our B777X airplane to customers. And we'll keep you updated as we progress on sales campaigns and conclude our launch timing evaluation," Boeing's Chief Financial Officer Brian West said during the manufacturer's quarterly earnings call on January 26, 2022.
Reuters reported that talks between Boeing and Qatar Airways were very advanced. The carrier could order up to fifty B777X freighters, although a portion of this number is likely to come as options rather than firm commitments. Sources said the deal was expected to be signed during the visit of Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani to Washington on January 31.
Qatar Airways currently operates twenty-six B777-200Fs, just five years old on average, but is looking to replace them with newer aircraft. While until recently, the carrier was evaluating both the A350F and the B777X(F), the recent breakdown in relations with the European manufacturer has left Boeing as the only contender. The airline has been eyeing the B777X freighters since 2019.
Amidst the row with Airbus, Qatar Airways recently launched direct services to Seattle Tacoma International and touted the destination as "home to our partner Boeing", to which the airline is "grateful for their continued support in the region and globally".
The American manufacturer hopes a freighter variant will revive lagging B777X sales. To date, eight confirmed customers have ordered 310 B777-8s and B777-9s, while undisclosed customer(s) have commitments for a further ten -9s. Qatar Airways is its second-largest customer, behind Emirates (EK, Dubai International), with orders for ten -8s and fifty -9s. Other airlines that have expressed interest in the B777X freighter include Lufthansa, Cargolux, and Ethiopian Airlines.
"As a result of increasing freighter demand, we plan to increase the combined B777 and B777X production rate from two to three per month this year," West added.
