Boeing, with just a few days left until the end of 2024, announced this Thursday its largest firm commercial plane order of the year, for 100 737 MAX jets, placed by Turkish low-cost airline Pegasus Airlines.
The order includes options for another 100 737 MAX 10 jets.
The value of the deal is US$5.85 billion after typical discounts in the sector, according to delivery prices estimated by the British Cirium Ascend. Boeing shares rose 2.6%.
The order is a welcome boost for the North American aircraft manufacturer, which began the year facing an in-flight incident with one of its 737 MAX.
The case led to stricter regulatory oversight, which exposed the company’s safety and production quality problems, which also faced a strike that halted almost all of its jet production for seven weeks.
The company raised $25 billion to shore up its battered finances.
Continues after advertising
After the strike ended, Boeing cautiously resumed production of the 737 in early December, as reported by Reuters.
With the Pegasus airline order, Boeing has orders for more than 4,300 737s, including more than 1,200 for the 737-10, the largest model in the MAX family, according to the company.
However, the United States Federal Aviation Administration has not yet certified the MAX 10 and the smaller model, MAX 7, due to problems related to the engine’s anti-icing system.
Continues after advertising
Deliveries are expected to begin in 2028, according to Pegasus. Airplane manufacturers receive most of their money when the jet is delivered to the customer.
The airline will consider converting its options for an additional 100 MAX 10 aircraft into firm orders in the coming years, depending on market conditions and fleet needs, Pegasus Airlines Chief Executive Güliz Öztürk said in a statement.
