The Federal Aviation Administration has granted Boeing a time-limited waiver that allows the company to sell 35 additional 777F freighters after new U.S. emissions rules take effect on 1 January 2028. The exemption covers aircraft receiving their first airworthiness certificates between that date and 1 January 2031, giving Boeing room to keep the current freighter in production while the 777-8F replacement remains delayed.
The decision, reported from Washington on Wednesday, applies to Boeing’s current 777F cargo jet, which would otherwise fall outside the future fuel-efficiency limits adopted in 2024. The FAA framed the relief as flexibility while certification work continues on the successor model.
Without the waiver, Boeing risked a production gap in its freighter business once the emissions cutoff arrived. The extra aircraft are expected to lift global freighter operations by about 2% and increase fuel burn by roughly 8% versus 2024 levels. The move follows a separate congressional exemption previously granted for Boeing’s 767 freighter, underscoring the policy sensitivity around the manufacturer’s cargo aircraft programme.