In recent years, PIA has faced multiple incidents involving leased aircraft due to unpaid fees. In one case in May 2023, a PIA Boeing 777 was seized in Kuala Lumpur over approximately $4 million in outstanding leasing payments but was released after settlement in June that year. The airline also struggled with fuel payments and other obligations during this period.
Between delivery of the final passenger Boeing 747-8i in 2017 and the end of -300ER production in 2024, the -300ER served as Boeing's flagship passenger aircraft. Since then, only freighter versions have remained in active production lines. From early 2020 onward, just fifteen new -300ERs were handed over: four units went out in 2020 (two each to United Airlines and Novus Aviation Capital), seven more followed in subsequent years (including deliveries to KLM and Aeroflot), three were sent to BOC Aviation in 2022, none were delivered during all of 2023, and one unit went to Altavair Leasing Company in early 2024.
By mid-2025 estimates indicate that around 831 examples had entered service—making it both the best-selling member of its family and one of Boeing’s most successful widebody types overall. As some older airframes have already retired or been withdrawn from use, ch-aviation reports show about 818 remain operational.
The largest customer by far has been Emirates with an order tally reaching up to124 units; Qatar Airways follows with57 aircraft purchased; Air France procured43 examples; Cathay Pacific acquired35; Saudia also took35 units; EVA Air ordered34; Turkish Airlines33; Air China28; Korean Air25.
US airlines showed less interest: Delta Air Lines and Hawaiian Airlines did not purchase any -300ERs while United placed late orders for22 jets and American bought20—together accounting for roughly five percent of total sales among US carriers.
The aircraft typically seats392 passengers across two classes with a range exceeding7,200 nautical miles thanks largely to its exclusive General Electric GE90-115B engines—a powerplant later developed into the GE9X engine designed for upcoming generations like the777X.
When compared against rival large widebodies such as Airbus’ A380 or A340 families—and even within its own company—the -300ER stands out: Only251 A380s were ever produced while155 units marked all versions combined for Boeing’s own747-8 line (just48 as passenger jets). Among modern competitors like Airbus’ A330neo or larger Dreamliner variants such as787-9 (which logged1,376 orders), only select models surpass it numerically among global operators.
Despite waning demand worldwide for extra-large twinjets—with many airlines opting instead for slightly smaller but efficient models like787 Dreamliners orA350s—the Middle East remains an exception where Emirates,Qatar Airways,and Etihad collectively account for nearly28%of all -300ER orders and64%of current firm commitments toward next-gen triple-sevens like the forthcoming777X series.
While production is shifting away from large twinjets toward newer designs,the legacy established by over800delivered triple-seven extended-range jets underscores their continued importance—especially among long-haul carriers focused on high-capacity routes.
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