German carrier Lufthansa will be the first customer to receive Boeing’s 777-9 aircraft after it completes certification with the Federal Aviation Administration.
Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg confirmed the news when asked about the 777X’s first-class cabin seat certifications during Boeing’s Q4 earnings call.
“So, actually, the first delivery – 777X delivery is also to Lufthansa, which is where I just mentioned, we have had seat and continue to have seat challenges,” he said. “So, I guess the good news, bad news is we’ve had seat challenges, but we do know what those challenges are for Lufthansa deliveries.”
Analysts previously speculated that Qatar Airways would receive the first 777X aircraft. In July 2024, the carrier ordered 20 additional 777X aircraft, totaling 94 orders. Qatar Airways was also the launch customer for Boeing’s 777-8 freighter.
Earlier in the call with investors, Ortberg said Boeing is continuing to focus on getting the 777X through certification. The long-delayed aircraft has hit several snags in its certification due to various technical issues, but test flights have resumed as of this month.
“Now, [the] 777X interior in general is a more complex interior, but that’s baked into our overall certification program for the aircraft,” Ortberg said. “So, we [have] time to go work [on] the seat certification issues, and we’ve learned from our 787, what those issues are. So, I think we’ll be able to manage that for the initial deliveries.”
Boeing CFO Brian West confirmed in the call that Boeing still expects to make its first 777X delivery in 2026, and will continue to follow the lead of the FAA as the company moves through certification.
AirlineGeeks reached out to Lufthansa for comment.
