Come on people haven't got a clue about what planes they are flying on. It was only a few years ago Balkan would fly people on TU154s. If people knew anything about them and their chequered history I'm sure nobody would set foot in them. In days gone by when airlines used to sell themselves on the planes they flew they people maybe were a little more type aware (connie, trident, BAC111, l1011, DC10, Electras) but now when airlines are pretty common (especially down the back) and the planes are pretty generic looking people don't know or don't care.
Maybe people know a 787 is a bit different, but line one up against a group of other aircraft and I'd bet you not one of your average punters could distinguish it from the rest.
I don't think for one moment that MON will buy Boeing. EZY were in advanced talks with Boeing too very recently. They didn't go Boeing. Instead they played the manufacturers off of one another to get a better deal out of airbus. Same here.