Boeing considers two new airplanes

Published 1:30 am Friday, July 1, 2016

The Boeing Co. is considering two new airplanes — a totally new midrange plane and a stretched 777X.

The company is closing in on developing a new mid-market airplane that would haul about 270 passengers on flights up to 10 hours, the Wall Street Journal reports. The company has been in talks for the past year with potential customers — airline and lessors — about what they need such a plane to do and how much they are willing to pay.

If approved by Boeing’s board, the airplane could enter service within 10 years.

Boeing is also considering stretching its 777X from mini-jumbo to actual jumbo status. The resulting 777-10 would compete with Airubs’ super-jumbo A380, Bloomberg’s Julie Johnsson and Andrea Rothman reported this week.

The plane would be a stretch of Boeing’s 777-9, which is slated to fly by 2020.