The carrier Gol celebrated the delivery of the 50th Boeing 737 MAX to its fleet on December 10, which received the symbolic registration PS-GOL.
The Brazilian low-cost airline, founded in 2000, has been an exclusive operator of the 737 for almost its entire history. There are currently 134 jets in its fleet, including 72 737-800s and 12 737-700s.
Despite the high number of 737 MAX 8 aircraft, Gol had planned to have more of these jets by this point. Last year, the airline expected to have 53 of the type, but Boeing’s repeated problems ended up frustrating the goal.
Last December, 44 737 MAXs had been delivered, nine fewer than planned.
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The situation was no better in 2024. After filing for Chapter 11 in the New York Bankruptcy Court (US), Gol had to renegotiate the leasing contracts for its aircraft while Boeing saw its 737 assembly line frequently affected by problems.
In the end, six 737 MAX 8s have been delivered so far this year, still far from the fleet of 737 NGs, which are less efficient.
Plan to emerge from Chapter 11
Gol received its first 737 MAX in 2018 and at the time closed a new order for 45 aircraft, including the 737 MAX 10 variant.
In total, the plan was to reach 135 aircraft from the new family by 2028, when the NGs would be definitively retired.
Before the announcement of financial restructuring, the carrier had reworked its schedule and predicted that it would have 32 737 NG assets in 2028.
The grounding of the aircraft in March 2019 significantly damaged its finances, along with the pandemic the following year. While six 737 MAXs were delivered in 2018, the following year only one aircraft arrived at the airline before the Boeing was banned from flying.
With the release of commercial flights at the end of 2020, Gol undertook a major fleet renewal, with 14 737 MAXs delivered in 2021 and another 17 in 2022. Last year, only six jets were delivered.
About to deliver its initial plan to emerge from Chapter 11, Gol will certainly rely increasingly on the 737 MAX to optimize its operations.
