The new purchase positions United’s fleet for growth and accelerating demand for air travel
30 June 2021: United Airlines have planned to expand their 737 fleet by ordering an additional 200 737 MAX jets from Boeing. Apart from this the agreement also includes 150, 737-10 the largest member of the MAX family and 50, 737-8 which rules the single-aisle market. The new purchase positions United’s fleet for growth and accelerating demand for air travel.
United CEO Scott Kirby said, “Our ‘United Next’ vision will revolutionize the experience of flying United as we accelerate our business to meet resurgence in air travel. By adding and upgrading this many aircraft so quickly with our new signature interiors, we’ll combine friendly, helpful service with the best experience in the sky, all across our premier global network. At the same time, this move underscores the critical role United plays in fueling the broader US economy we expect the addition of these new aircraft will have a significant economic impact on the communities we serve in terms of job creation, traveler spending and the shipping of goods and services.”
The purchase increases United’s order book for the fuel-efficient, single-aisle family to 380 airplanes, including 30 that have been delivered. As the launch customer for the 737-10, United placed its first order in 2017 by converting 100 737-9 orders to the larger 737-10 variant. The agreement also includes the purchase of Boeing 737 MAX training simulator data packages to support United’s pilot training programs.
Stan Deal, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes said, “We are truly humbled by United Airlines’ confidence in the people of Boeing and the airplanes we design and build every day. Our strong partnership, dating back to United’s founding, has helped us grow and weather challenges through the decades. As we look forward to the recovery ahead, we are honored that United has once again chosen the 737 family’s performance, efficiency and flexibility to power their growing network. The Boeing team is excited to be building hundreds of these new jets for United and delivering on a landmark agreement that solidifies our future together for the next decades.”
Designed and built in Renton, Washington, the 737 MAX family delivers superior efficiency, flexibility and reliability while reducing fuel use and carbon emissions by at least 14per cent compared to the airplanes it replaces. The 737-8 seats up to 189 passengers and can fly 3,550 nautical miles – about 600 miles farther than its predecessor – allowing airlines to offer new and more direct routes for passengers.
The largest model in the family, the 737-10 seats up to 230 passengers in a single-class configuration and can fly up to 3,300 miles. The fuel-efficient jet can cover 99per cent of single-aisle routes, including routes served by 757s.
