(Reuters) -Boeing has kicked off production of its newest freight carrier, the 777-8, the Seattle Times reported on Tuesday.
The aircraft, which has a revenue payload of 112.3 tonnes, was first announced in 2022 at the White House.
Boeing had then said that Qatar Airways would be the first customer, with an order for 34 jets and options for 16 more, and a total purchase price of $20 billion.
While Boeing originally said they expect to deliver the first aircraft in 2027, the timeline has been delayed by a year, the report said.
The 777-8 freighter has the lowest operating costs per tonne, most fuel efficiency and the lowest carbon dioxide emissions among the 777X family of aircraft, according to Boeing’s website.
Boeing did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for a comment.
(Reporting by Aishwarya Jain in Bengaluru; Editing by Sahal Muhammed)
