Alaska Airlines announced Monday that it is accelerating its fleet growth by exercising early options on 12 Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft. This additional commitment brings total firm orders for MAX aircraft to 93 aircraft, five of which are currently in service.
Alaska announced a restructured agreement with Boeing in December 2020 to acquire 68 737 MAX 9 aircraft between 2021 to 2024, with options for another 52 deliveries between 2023 and 2026. This year, the airline has exercised 25 of the options, including 13 planes in May.
See also: Alaska Airlines adds three new routes between San Francisco and Mexico this winter.
“We are excited to accelerate Alaska’s growth, building on our solid financial foundation that enabled us to weather the pandemic. These aircraft are a prudent, long-term investment in our business that we can make while simultaneously maintaining our strong balance sheet”, said Nat Pieper, Alaska Airlines senior vice president of fleet, finance and alliances.
“Boeing continues to be a terrific partner for Alaska. We began flying our first 737 MAX 9s this past spring, and we’re extremely pleased with the operational, financial and environmental performance of the aircraft,” said Pieper. “The planes are exceeding our expectations – from how quiet the engines run to the greater range they provide – and our guests love them”.
Alaska Airlines’ 737 MAX 9s are configured to carry 178 passengers, 16 First Class seats and 24 in Premium Class and 138 in Economy Class.
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