Watch Now


All Nippon Airways changes Boeing 777 order to get next-gen freighters

Carrier’s initial purchase plan was exclusively for passenger aircraft

All Nippon Airways operates two Boeing 777 freighters (pictured). It is purchasing two of Boeing's upgraded 777 of the future later this decade. (Photo: Shutterstock/viper-zero)

All Nippon Airways said Monday it converted two of its 20 orders for Boeing’s next-generation 777 passenger aircraft, the 777-9, to the 777-8 cargo version, becoming the third airline to commit to the large future freighter since Boeing launched the program at the start of the year.

ANA is a large combination carrier that operates nine Boeing 767-300 medium-size freighters and two large 777 freighters, according to a March 2021 fact sheet. ANA said the new 777-8 cargo jets will enter service sometime in 2028 or 2029 and signifies the company’s growth plans for air cargo business.

The Japanese airline originally ordered the 777-9 aircraft in 2014, but the aircraft’s development has been plagued by engineering challenges. Boeing (NYSE: BA) recently pushed back expected delivery of the 777-9 until 2025, more than a year later than forecast. The first freighter variants aren’t scheduled to be ready until 2027. Boeing, until recently, generically referred to both variants as the 777-X.

Boeing’s biggest customer for the new widebody freighter is from Qatar Airways, which has a form order for 34 aircraft plus options for 16 more. Lufthansa’s cargo division has signed a purchase agreement for seven 777-8 freighters, while Ethiopian Airlines has a letter of intent for five of them.


The aircraft manufacturer is facing new competition from rival Airbus in the cargo sector it dominated for decades. Airbus late last year unveiled a new widebody freighter based on the popular A350 passenger jet. Airbus has 24 firm orders for the A350F, and more waiting to be finalized. Experts say the planes are roughly comparable in capability. 

The 777-8 has a payload capacity about the same as a 747-400 freighter while offering a 25% improvement in fuel efficiency, emissions and operating costs, according to Boeing. It also will have two extra pallet positions than the legacy 777 freighter, along with a 15% fuel benefit. Technological improvements include a new carbon-fiber composite wing and fuel-efficient GE engines. With a range of 4,410 nautical miles, the 777-8 will enable airlines to make fewer stops and reduce landing fees on long-haul routes. 

The 2021 Boeing Commercial Market Outlook projects a 70% increase in the global freighter fleet by 2040, including about 450 new large widebody freighters.

ANA said it also finalized a tentative order for 30 Boeing 737-8 MAX jets.


Click here for more FreightWaves/American Shipper stories by Eric Kulisch.

RECOMMENDED READING:

Lufthansa invests in next-gen Boeing 777-8 freighters

All Nippon Airways hits cargo revenue record for 5th consecutive quarter

Eric Kulisch

Eric is the Supply Chain and Air Cargo Editor at FreightWaves. An award-winning business journalist with extensive experience covering the logistics sector, Eric spent nearly two years as the Washington, D.C., correspondent for Automotive News, where he focused on regulatory and policy issues surrounding autonomous vehicles, mobility, fuel economy and safety. He has won two regional Gold Medals and a Silver Medal from the American Society of Business Publication Editors for government and trade coverage, and news analysis. He was voted best for feature writing and commentary in the Trade/Newsletter category by the D.C. Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. He won Environmental Journalist of the Year from the Seahorse Freight Association in 2014 and was the group's 2013 Supply Chain Journalist of the Year. In December 2022, Eric was voted runner up for Air Cargo Journalist by the Seahorse Freight Association. As associate editor at American Shipper Magazine for more than a decade, he wrote about trade, freight transportation and supply chains. He has appeared on Marketplace, ABC News and National Public Radio to talk about logistics issues in the news. Eric is based in Vancouver, Washington. He can be reached for comments and tips at ekulisch@freightwaves.com