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Boeing secured a record-breaking $96 billion order from Qatar Airways during Donald Trump’s trip.
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It was one of several wins this week, showing the planemaker is recovering from a troubling 2024.
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Trump’s support came after tensions over Air Force One delays and concerns over a Qatari gift.
Boeing showed it’s bouncing back from its turmoil as it won several victories from Donald Trump’s trip to the Middle East.
On Wednesday, Qatar Airways agreed to buy at least 160 Boeing jets, in a deal the White House valued at $96 billion. It is the planemaker’s largest-ever order for wide-body aircraft.
While the two CEOs signed certificates and shook hands, Trump and the Emir of Qatar applauded from behind the ornate desk. The president gave Boeing’s Kelly Ortberg a pat on the back.
It’s rare to see heads of state attend aircraft-order ceremonies. Trump’s show of support for Boeing was a notable turn from the tensions between the two over delays in building the next Air Force One.
Receiving such a huge vote of confidence from an industry-leading airline is also a significant boost, especially since the order includes 30 Boeing 777X planes and options for dozens more.
The 777X is yet to be certified, running years behind schedule, meaning Qatar’s order is a big show of faith in Boeing’s future. Flight tests for the 777X had to be paused last August after damage was found on a key structure.
Several customers, including the largest, Emirates, voiced their frustrations after Ortberg then announced its launch would be further pushed back to 2026.
However, Qatar Airways has never dwelt on the delays. Let us not cry over spilled milk,” CEO Badr Mohammed Al-Meer told Business Insider last July.
Boeing is also likely to benefit from Tuesday’s defense deal with Saudi Arabia, which the White House called “the largest defense-sales agreement in history,” at roughly $142 billion.
These are all significant signs that the planemaker hasn’t lost too much of its reputation after an ignominious 2024.
The year began with a door plug falling off a 737 Max in midair. Regulators subsequently capped Boeing’s production as it works to overhaul its processes.
This week has seen progress here, too, as Boeing said it delivered 45 commercial planes last month — almost double the number in the same period last year.
Even before Qatar Airways’ order, planes were dominating the headlines around Trump’s trip.
The president said Monday he would be “stupid” to turn down the Qatari royal family‘s proposed gift of a Boeing 747.