Lufthansa Rejects Old Boeing Jets, Forces Boeing to Fund Upgrades

Lufthansa has confirmed that it will not accept some of its oldest Boeing 777-9s, joining Emirates in rejecting early-built airframes. The airline is categorizing these jets into two groups: those that will be outright rejected and those that may be accepted after costly upgrades funded by Boeing.

The 777-9s were built as early as 2019 and could be eight years old before delivery. Lufthansa still plans to take newer production models starting in 2027, with 20 firm orders and 24 options on the table.

Boeing suspended 777X production in 2022, leaving 39 early airframes in storage. The company is setting up a dedicated line to retrofit them to current standards, which may involve significant costs for Boeing.