Boeing’s CEO says it might have to delay its much-anticipated new plane, the 777X, once again

Boeing’s newest plane looks set for another delay before it can finally carry passengers.

At Thursday’s Morgan Stanley Laguna Conference, Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg warned that the 777X’s certification was behind schedule.

“We’re clearly behind our plan in getting the certification done,” he said.

While no new technical issues have arisen during flight tests, Ortberg said there was still a “mountain of work.”

Boeing’s share price fell 3.3% following Ortberg’s comments.

The CEO also said he’d asked Boeing’s chief financial officer, Jay Malave, to look into the implications.

“Even a minor schedule delay on the 777 program has a pretty big financial impact,” he added.

The 777X will be the largest twin-engine passenger jet when it enters service.

It’s perhaps most known for its folding wingtips, which allow for the fuel efficiency of longer wings while still being able to fit into airport gates.

However, continued delays have irritated some of its customers.

Initially supposed to enter service in 2020, Ortberg last year announced a further delay to 2026.

Tim Clark, the president of Emirates, which has ordered the most 777X jets, then said he planned “a serious conversation.”

“I fail to see how Boeing can make any meaningful forecasts of delivery dates,” he added.

Emirates did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Ortberg’s latest remarks.

Ortberg didn’t say whether certification could further slip into 2027.

As a successor to the most popular wide-body plane, the Boeing 777, it’s already gaining lots of interest, with Boeing’s website listing 624 orders.

That includes dozens that were announced alongside diplomatic efforts surrounding President Donald Trump’s trade deals.

In May, during Trump’s tour of the Middle East, Qatar Airways ordered $96 billion worth of Boeing planes, including 30 777X jets.

It was also announced that month that British Airways had ordered six of them, as the UK and the US reached a trade deal.

Then, last month, Korean Air ordered 103 planes, including 20 of the 777X, announced shortly after the South Korean president visited the White House.

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