FARNBOROUGH—National Airlines is “very interested” in the next-generation Boeing 777-8F when the time comes to replace its 747-400 fleet, the cargo carrier's CEO and chairman Christopher Alf said July 22 on committing to order four 777Fs here at the Farnborough Airshow.
“It would be the natural replacement for the Boeing 747-400,” Alf said. National is operating nine 747-400Fs in its global cargo network but does not have any immediate plans to replace them. “Even our oldest -400 has another 10 years to go,” he said. National is actually in the market for more -400s as “e-commerce is moving at maximum pace, doubling year-on-year,” as Alf put it.
For the time being, National's commitment to order four 777Fs marks an effort to grow its fleet. Two of the aircraft are going to be delivered in the fourth quarter of 2025, with the other two to be handed over in the first quarter of 2026.
For Boeing, the order helps in the transition of production from the 777 to the 777X. Boeing delivered 27 777Fs in 2023 and seven so far in 2024. It has promised its customers to hand over the first 777Xs before the end of 2025.
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