Boeing's Final 777-300ER: A Look Back at Five Turbulent Years

On January 14, 2025, Boeing's commercial airplane division delivered a unique milestone aircraft — the likely last 777-300ER. This widebody jet, which first took to the skies nearly five years ago, has an interesting story. It was originally painted for China Southern Airlines and made its maiden flight on January 21, 2020, coinciding with the first confirmed COVID-19 case in the U. S. Days later, it went through early production testing alongside the 777X prototype, which faced delays due to weather issues.2024 was a tough year for Boeing, with deliveries dropping by 34% compared to 2023. The company faced a major crisis in January 2024 when an Alaska Airlines flight lost an improperly installed plug exit, grounding part of the 737 Max 9 fleet. This led to intense regulatory scrutiny, a leadership shake-up, and efforts to reintegrate key suppliers. Additionally, a 53-day work stoppage by machinists disrupted production. 2024's deliveries marked a significant drop from 2023's 528 aircraft. Five years after the COVID-19 pandemic began, both Boeing and Airbus are still below their 2019 production levels. This reflects the airline industry's ongoing capacity constraints, even as demand recovers.