Photo: Boeing
Reading Time: < 1 minuteUnited Airlines is buying 25 additional Boeing 737 Max planes as it prepares for a sustained recovery in air travel.
“As we plan for the future and the return of demand, we’ve been looking at ways to best position our fleet for the recovery and be in a position to best take advantage of people’s desire to travel,” Andrew Nocella, United’s chief commercial officer, said in a note to the employees.
With the additional order of 25 more Boeing 737 MAX planes, the total airline’s commitments reach 188 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. As the carrier anticipates a recovery in travel demand, it has moved the delivery of 40 of the ordered jets to 2022 and 54 others to 2023, all of which were due to be delivered later. That means that the carrier will have 94 new aircraft in its fleet in the upcoming two years. At least 100 of United Airlines’ Boeing 737 MAX jets will be the MAX 10.
The step is a vote of confidence in Boeing after two fatal 737 MAX crashes which resulted in a 20-month safety ban.