Boeing has notified Lufthansa that the delivery of the first 777-9 wide-body aircraft will not occur in the first quarter of 2027. The airline now anticipates receiving the planes in the second quarter, though this timeline remains uncertain. Consequently, the 777-9 will not be included in the company's 2027 summer flight schedule.
To maintain operations, the carrier will continue to utilize its Airbus A340-300 fleet. CEO Carsten Spohr previously identified this as a contingency plan. The Airbus aircraft will be phased out gradually as the new Boeing jets arrive. Spohr expects Lufthansa to receive fewer than ten 777-9 units throughout 2027.
The delay stems from ongoing certification issues, specifically the need to refine the GE9X engine seals. Until the US Federal Aviation Administration approves these modifications, Boeing cannot complete the necessary ETOPS testing for long-range flights. Lufthansa, the launch customer, has ordered 20 of these aircraft.
To mitigate potential capacity shortages in 2028, the company is considering reallocating Boeing 787 jets originally intended for Austrian Airlines to Frankfurt. The 777X program has faced repeated setbacks, with the initial market entry originally scheduled for 2020 before being delayed by technical and certification hurdles.
