American Airlines decided to exercise its option to purchase 23 Boeing 737 MAX 8s on January 31, and plans to add another seven of the model later this year.
At the same time, the US carrier will delay delivery of new 787-9s by nearly a year. Boeing was supposed to deliver more aircraft of the model from January 2023, but now the first widebody will only be handed over at the end of next year.
The company expects to receive four 787-9s in 2023 and the rest by 2027. According to Boeing, American Airlines has 25 Dreamliner orders still pending delivery.
The changes to their contracts are evidence of the 737 MAX’s good operational performance after the safety issues. The latest generation of the single-aisle jet provides very high fuel savings in addition to a range capable of serving medium-haul routes.
The 787 suffers yet another setback amid production problems that affect its deliveries. The slow recovery of long-haul air travel has also caused many airlines to reduce their widebody fleet.
