Second airline cancels Boeing 737 MAX order
Another airline has cancelled its order of the still-grounded Boeing 737 MAX jets following two fatal crashes.
Saudi Arabian carrier Flyadeal had planned to buy 30 of the latest version of the 737 for $6 billion and it had taken an option with Boeing for 20 more of the aircraft in the future.
However, it is understood that it has since cancelled the deal with Boeing and ordered 30 Airbus A320neo jets instead. The Airbus planes, ordered by Flyadeal’s parent Saudi Arabian Airlines at the Paris Air Show are scheduled to be delivered from 2021.
In a statement, the airline said: "This order will result in Flyadeal operating an all-Airbus A320 fleet in the future."
Boeing said in a statement: "We understand that flyadeal will not finalise its commitment to the 737 MAX at this time given the airline’s schedule requirements."
Earlier this year, Indonesian airline Garuda became the first to cancel order of the MAX jet following the two crashes, in Indonesia and in Ethiopia, which killed a total of 346 people and resulted in the aircraft being grounded worldwide.
Boeing has since been working on installing a new safety feature on the 737 MAX, which must be approved by air safety regulators before it is able to fly again. Latest reports suggest it won’t be airworthy until at least September.
At the Paris Air Show in June 2019, British Airways’ parent company, IAG, signed a Letter of Intent to buy 200 737 MAX aircraft.
However, an online survey for The Independent showed that only 23% of passengers said they would be confident in flying on the jet once it returns to service. Airlines including TU, Ryanair and Norwegian had intended to fly the 737 Max from this summer.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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