Even before it lost the CX-HLS contract, Boeing was asked by Juan Trippe, president of Pan American World Airways (Pan Am), one of their most important airline customers, to build a passenger aircraft more than twice the size of the 707.
Incluso antes de que perdese o contrato CX-HLS, Boeing fora presionado por Juan Trippe, presidente de Pan American World Airways (Pan Am), para fabricar un avión de pasaxeiros máis do dobre de grande que o 707.