Subscription Required

Introduction

Nov. 3, 2016, © Leeham Co.: Boeing may have solved its pressing problem of largely filling the production gap for the 747-8, but there is still a long way to go for the

Boeing 777X. Boeing's view of the wide-body market has shifted. Once it thought a strong market through 2020. Now it sees recovery in demand from 2020. Boeing photo via Google images.

777.

Boeing Co. CEO Dennis Muilenburg said last week the production rate for the 777 Classic may need to come down another 1-2 per month from the previously announced 5.5/mo if sales don’t pick up.

Despite a pending order for 15 from Iran Air and the perpetual sales campaigns, Muilenburg otherwise painted a picture about wide-body demand that is anything but rosy.

Summary

• Boeing no longer sees strong demand for wide-bodies through this decade. Recovery won’t resume until the start of the next decade.
• Thus, successfully bridging the 777 Classic to the 777X becomes more challenging.
• Investors yawn at more potential 777 production rate cuts.