Why so much is riding on the 777X, Boeing’s newest long-haul plane that is already 5 years late and costing billions

Operationally, the 777X is similar to its predecessor — and that’s by design. Its flight deck resembles that of Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner — meaning pilots can jump between all aircraft with little extra training, and airports save on infrastructure costs.

Boeing’s last completely new widebody plane was the 787 way back in 2003. While the Dreamliner is a cash cow with over 2,300 orders and about 1,100 delivered, the planemaker wasn’t ready to invest in another challenging, time-consuming, and expensive clean-sheet widebody this time around.

Despite the substantial investment, Emirates president Tim Clark has voiced his concern over Boeing’s 777X delays. According to Reuters, the airline is flying costly older jets longer than expected, eating into its bottom line.

Still, Clark told The Air Current the 777X is a promising plane but noted that its problems are bad for airlines relying on Boeing to fulfill their demand needs because it’s taking so long to certify.

Boeing is likely too far in to cancel the program, Aboulafia said, and airlines and Boeing will eventually benefit once the new widebody hits the market.

“The 777X is definitely worth pursuing,” Aboulafia said. “It’s the largest jetliner on the market, which is always useful for slot-constrained airlines. And the order book is respectable, if not fantastic, for a program at this stage.”