FAA grants Boeing three-year waiver to keep selling 35 additional 777F freighters after 2028 emissions rules take effect

FAA waiver and what it covers

The Federal Aviation Administration on September 18, 2026 approved a three-year waiver of airplane emissions standards that allows Boeing to sell an additional 35 777F freighters after January 1, 2028, the date the new rules would otherwise bar new sales of the aircraft. The FAA said the waiver gives Boeing "flexibility and accommodating uncertainty in the certification timeline of the replacement dedicated freighter aeroplane, the 777-8F."

Why Boeing sought the exemption

Boeing submitted its waiver request in December 2025, citing strong customer demand for the 777F and a delay in certification of its next-generation replacement. The 777F is described in regulatory and industry filings as the only large widebody freighter currently in production, and its successor, the 777-8F, is not expected to enter service until approximately 2029. Boeing argued that without an exemption the transition would create a production gap and put more than $15 billion in U.S. aircraft exports at risk.

Underlying emissions rule

The standards being waived were finalized by the FAA in February 2024 under former President Joe Biden and adopt international carbon-pollution limits for most large airplanes flying in U.S. airspace. Beginning in 2028, the rules would prohibit new sales of the 777F, though they do not affect aircraft already in service before that cutoff. The waiver extends Boeing's ability to deliver new-build freighters to customers for three additional years beyond the original deadline.

Boeing's position on the 777F

Boeing welcomed the decision, contending that the 777F is the most fuel-efficient large freighter currently available and that continued sales are needed to bridge demand until the 777-8F arrives. Boeing expects the first 777-8F delivery roughly two years after the initial 777-9 delivery, which the company is currently targeting for 2027. As of the September 18 reporting, Boeing had not issued a public response to the FAA action.

Next milestone

Boeing's stated delivery cadence for the 777-9, targeted for 2027, and the subsequent 777-8F entry into service, targeted for approximately 2029, will determine how long the 35 additional 777F slots are needed before the next-generation freighter reaches customers.