Boeing Is in Talks for a Megadeal That the Trade War Could Derail
- Potential order would involve 777X, 787 long-distance planes
- Political backdrop a complication for both sides, people say
This article is for subscribers only.
Boeing Co. has been negotiating one of the largest orders ever of wide-body jetliners with Chinese airlines even as tensions between Washington and Beijing escalate, say people familiar with the talks.
The discussions center on about 100 twin-aisle jets: 787 Dreamliners as well as 777X planes, the newest long-range aircraft in Boeing’s lineup, said one of the people, who asked not to be named as the talks are private. Negotiations have focused in particular on the 777-9 variant, the planemaker’s costliest jet with a $442.2 million sticker price, ahead of the model’s expected first flight later this month.