737 MAX-8s and 777-8Fs Japan Bound
Boeing and ANA Holdings—the parent company of All Nippon Airways (ANA)—got the Farnborough International Airshow off to a promising start with a signing ceremony finalizing the Japanese air carrier’s order for twenty 737-MAX-8 narrowbody airliners with options for another ten. The ceremony also formalized ANA’s selection of Boeing’s 777-8F freighter for its cargo operations.
ANA is Boeing’s first Japanese customer for the 737 MAX and the first Asian carrier to purchase the 777-8F freighter. The order was kept under tight wraps—going unmentioned on Boeing’s Orders and Deliveries website—and made for grand embarkation on Boeing’s Farnborough odyssey.
President and CEO of ANA HOLDINGS Koji Shibata said of the deal: "We are pleased to partner with Boeing to introduce new airplanes into our world-class fleet that further our commitment to sustainable aviation. The efficiency, reliability, and range capability of the 737 MAX make it an ideal airplane to refresh our narrowbody fleet and provide our passengers with the highest level of comfort onboard. In addition, the 777-8F Freighters will add flexibility and efficiency to our air cargo network. The 737 and 777 have long been a mainstay of the ANA fleet, and we look forward to continuing our partnership with Boeing with these new airplanes."
Stan Deal, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes echoed Mr. Shibata’s sentiments, stating: "This is a tremendous milestone for ANA and Boeing as the airline has selected the 737-8 and 777-8F Freighter to further strengthen its passenger and cargo operations. ANA has remained at the forefront of commercial aviation by consistently investing in the latest airplane technology, providing their passengers with an unparalleled flying experience and more sustainable options to travel and deliver goods around the globe."
The 737 MAX family features CFM International’s LEAP-1B engines, advanced technology winglets, and numerous aerodynamic enhancements that collectively improve performance and reduce operating costs. By selecting the 737 MAX-8, ANA will realize a twenty-percent decrease in carbon emissions, and a fifty-percent decrease in noise over its legacy 737s. Notwithstanding the aircraft family’s rocky start, over forty global airlines have flown more than 680,000 revenue flights and logged nearly 1.7-million flight hours with their 737 MAX aircraft.
Sporting the world's largest composite wing and more efficient engines than its progenitor, the new 777-8F freighter is ideally suited to ANA’s long-haul cargo operations. All told, the 777-8F is capable of carrying up to 10-tons more payload and—owning to ten-percent improvements in fuel efficiency, emissions, and operating costs per ton—fly farther and more profitably than extant 777 Freighters. Furthermore, integration of the new aircraft into ANA’s freighter fleet and cargo infrastructure promises to be seamless insomuch as the 777-8F utilizes the same containers and pallets as existing 777 freighters.
Tokyo-based ANA and Boeing have shared a long and mutually-beneficial partnership. The airline currently operates more than 170 Boeing jets, including two 777 Freighters, 39 737s and 77 787s—the world’s largest Dreamliner fleet. The new, Farnborough order will expand ANA's order book to sixty Boeing airplanes representing the 737, 777, and 787 families.
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