Lufthansa Orders Boeing 777-8 Freighters, Bolsters 787s

DALLAS - Today, Lufthansa (LH) announced an order for seven Boeing 777-8 freighter aircraft, along with seven more Boeing 787 aircraft. 

Additionally, LH purchased three Boeing 777F aircraft and will extend the leases of two of its current 777Fs to account for continuously high demand in the cargo market.

Lufthansa’s already established cargo logistics system makes it a prime candidate for an upgrade in capacity to capture the higher demand. According to the airline, one of the three 777Fs it has purchased is currently flying for another airline but will be joining LH’s fleet in the coming weeks, with the other two following.

In total, LH has firm orders for 32 Boeing 787 aircraft, with the deliveries planned from 2023 through 2026. The seven new 787s ordered by LH were originally intended for other airlines. 

Boeing 777-9 Delays

The Boeing 787s ordered by LH will fill gaps left by the delays in Boeing’s 777-9 program. As originally reported by The Air Current, the new aircraft’s certification target has been delayed until the fourth quarter of 2024.

Subsequently, the first deliveries of the aircraft are not expected until 2025, far beyond its initial target of 2020. 

The order by LH does, however, provide Boeing with a win over Airbus’ competing A350F product, while at the same time strengthening its relationship with the airline, a large buyer of new aircraft.

Executive’s Comments

Dr. Detlef Kayser, Member of the Executive Board of Deutsche Lufthansa AG said, "The continuous modernization of Lufthansa Group's long-haul fleet is one of our top priorities.” 

He continued, “The purchase will complement our existing orders and further reduce our operating costs, enhance fuel efficiency and provide state-of-the-art customer experiences." 

Ihssane Mounir, Boeing senior vice president of Commercial Sales and Marketing said, "With the selection of our newest freighter, Lufthansa continues its long history of firsts with Boeing airplane programs, becoming the first European customer for the 777-8 Freighter," said. 

Speaking on the fit of the 777 and 787 into Lufthansa’s sustainability objectives, he said, "Each of these airplanes reduces emissions by 15 to 25% compared to previous models, with a noise footprint up to 50% smaller than their predecessors, helping to advance the Lufthansa Group's sustainability objectives."

Featured image: Lufthansa Group selects the new Boeing 777-8 Freighter and orders additional 777 Freighters. Shown here, the 777-8 Freighter (top) and current 777 Freighter.