EVERETT, Wash. — Boeing has announced a landmark $96 billion deal with Qatar Airways, marking the airline’s largest order on record.
The purchase agreement includes up to 210 Boeing jets, with 160 confirmed orders for 787 Dreamliners and 777-9s, with an option for an additional 50 planes. Boeing’s 777 fleet is developed and built out of the company’s Everett factory, which employs over 30,000 people.
Boeing stated that the deal is expected to support an estimated 400,000 U.S. jobs.
Boeing as a global company,” Mike Boyd, an aviation consultant with Boyd International, said. “There are folks in Helena, Montana, who’re going to benefit by this because of Boeing’s presence. There are folks down in Denver who are going to benefit all the way through. It’s going to trickle through the entire economy.
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Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA) hailed the agreement as a “big win,” sharing in a statement:
It’s also good to see U.S. manufacturers winning in the lucrative widebody airplane market. It’s also a reminder why it’s time to sell to meet big demand instead of pursuing trade disruptions.
However, Boyd cautioned that while the order is significant, it is important to remain cautiously optimistic.
“This is a huge order, but keep in mind, Qatar Airways earlier had to cancel an order for 50 737s because Boeing couldn’t deliver them, and they took that order over to Airbus,” Boyd said.
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In a release Wednesday, President and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes Stephanie Pope said, “Our team is looking forward to building 787s and 777s for Qatar Airways into the next decade as they connect more people and businesses around the world with unmatched efficiency and comfort.”
According to a White House release, this deal also marks Boeing’s largest order ever for widebody jets and its 787 Dreamliner.
“What the President has done is put it on their desk and said, I came out for you. This was a customer who didn’t want to buy your airplanes because you couldn’t deliver them. Now I got you in order, so you better produce,” Boyd said.
