Boeing is set to restart deliveries of 737 MAX jets to its Chinese customers, Bloomberg sources have revealed in recent days.
The milestone comes after four years in which China’s aviation market has not added a single aircraft of the model, affected by the grounding between 2019 and the end of 2019 after two fatal accidents.
In the meantime, the worsening climate between the US and Chinese governments, involved in commercial and political disputes, further complicated the shipment of aircraft, many of them ready for several months.
According to the news agency, which spoke to people familiar with the matter, the first deliveries should take place in the coming weeks.
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Not by chance, Boeing removed two 737 MAX that were stored to put them in flight condition. Despite this, it is not certain that they will be delivered to the original customers as the company has remanufactured orders during this period.
What seems certain is that China Southern Airlines will be the first carrier in the country to take delivery of a new 737 MAX. It currently has 24 aircraft of the type in operation and 34 pending delivery, according to Boeing.
Who are the current customers of the 737 MAX in China?
In addition to China Southern, there are five other 737 MAX customers in the country. According to data from Boeing, there are 118 aircraft yet to be delivered.
The airline that has the most jets to receive is Ruili Airlines, with 35 737 MAX, followed by China Southern with 34 aircraft.
Greater Bay Airlines, headquartered in Hong Kong, follows with 15 planes, while lessor Minsheng Leasing has 14 737 MAX pending. The list also includes Donghai Airlines (12 planes) and Okay Airways (7).
| Customer Name | Unfilled Orders |
|---|---|
| Ruili Airlines | 36 |
| China Southern Airlines | 34 |
| Greater Bay Airlines | 15 |
| Minsheng Leasing | 14 |
| Donghai Airlines | 12 |
| Okay Airways Company Limited | 7 |
It should be noted that, with the exception of China Southern, no major Chinese airlines are included in the report, although they have fleets of 737 MAX.
This is the case of Air China, which operates 16 MAX 8 and has 23 others pending, but whose terms of the agreement with Boeing are not clear.
The carrier has instead been increasing orders for the A320neo family from rival Airbus.
