Freight boom and delays accelerate Boeing’s 777 converted freighter plan

Boeing has significantly accelerated planning for the long-considered launch of a converted freighter version of its stalwart 777-300ER passenger plane, as it juggles the combination of surging demand for pandemic recovery twin-aisles and delivery delays to its 777X and 787s.

One senior industry executive told The Air Current that the project is “under serious evaluation” and there was a chance a launch could come as early as the Farnborough Air Show in July, but cautioned Boeing is “under a lot of pressure from all sides” and kicking off its second large freighter program (after the 777X freighter) may slip beyond the industry gathering.

Related: Boeing preps 777X for slip deep into 2024, as it triages 787 & 737 Max 10

“We recognize the demand for a 777 converted freighter option,” Boeing said in a statement to The Air Current. “We are studying options and anticipate communicating our next steps to customers later this year.” 

While a converted 777-300ER may ultimately ride the wave of high-volume e-commerce and rising ocean freight costs into the latter part of the decade, launching in 2022 is about far more than just pandemic cargo dynamics.

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