Recent rumors: Boeing has quietly shut down the production line of the -777/300ER (Extended Range) passenger airplane at its Everett plant in Washington State, bringing to an end the era of one of the most influential and best-selling long-range airliners in commercial aviation history. The cessation of production of the largest and most powerful twin-engine member of the -777 family was not announced with fanfare, but has been confirmed by delivery records showing a recent final passenger example delivered, marking a symbolic closure.

Introduced in the early 2000s and conceived to meet growing demand for high-capacity, efficient flights, the B-777/300ER revolutionized intercontinental travel. It combined a stretched fuselage with more powerful engines and additional fuel tanks, enabling airlines to operate very long-range routes with high seat counts and, crucially, significantly better per-passenger economics compared with older four-engine aircraft.

Over more than twenty years, this model earned the status of best-selling widebody aircraft, with more than 830 units delivered to airlines worldwide. The first of these was delivered to Air France in 2004, while the most recent passenger example on record went to Ethiopian Airlines. Carriers such as Emirates and Qatar Airways chose it as the workhorse to build their expansive global route networks.

The impact of the -777/300ER was profound: it accelerated the shift away from four-engine jets like the Boeing 747, enabled new nonstop routes, and set new standards of comfort for long-haul travel.

Reasons for the shutdown

The decision by Boeing to halt production of the passenger -777/300ER variant results from several market and industrial dynamics. Namely:

- The advent of the -777X: The primary reason is the preparation for the next-generation successor, the -777X, slated to become the new twinjet flagship. Despite delays in the program, the Everett facility is being reconfigured to assemble this new variant.

- Shift in demand: Orders for new -777/300ER passenger aircraft have declined; airlines have steered purchases toward more efficient types such as the Airbus A350 and the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

- Optimization of production capacity: Boeing’s recent industrial challenges have forced the company to optimize production resources, prioritizing the -777 Freighter (the cargo variant) and the future -777X.

Despite the closure of the passenger assembly line, the -777 platform remains a pillar: thousands of these aircraft will continue to operate in commercial service for many years, confirming the project’s enduring robustness. The -777 program, buoyed by strong air-cargo demand, will persist through uninterrupted production of its cargo variant, the -777 Freighter.