The deal was signed at the White House by Chief Executive of Qatar Airways Group, His Excellency Akbar Al Baker and President and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, Stan Deal.
They were joined by Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, His Excellency Ambassador Sheikh Mishaal bin Hamad Al Thani, Director of the White House National Economic Council Brian Deese, and Boeing President and CEO Dave Calhoun.
Qatar Airways has placed 34 firm orders with 16 options and the first deliveries are expected in 2027.
Al Baker says: “Today marks a great day in the ever-building and strong relationship between Qatar Airways and Boeing. We certainly push Boeing hard to deliver upon our expectations, and the team at Boeing consistently strives to meet and exceed our expectations, giving the opportunity for us to be here today to launch the most significant new freighter aircraft for a generation.”
Deal adds: “We are delighted to launch Boeing's next great cargo airplane – the 777-8 Freighter – with Qatar Airways, one of the world's largest cargo carriers and our partner since the airline began operations 25 years ago. Our team is ready to create an airplane that will serve them well for many decades. Qatar Airways' selection of the efficient 777-8 Freighter is a testament to our commitment to provide freighters with market-leading capacity, reliability and efficiency.”
The 777-8 Freighter has an almost identical payload as the 747-400F. It has a range of 4,410 nautical miles and a maximum payload of 118 tonnes.
As part of the deal, Qatar Airways will convert 20 of its 60 777X orders into 777-8 Freighters and has also ordered another two current-spec 777Fs.