Boeing has entered into an agreement with Flydubai to deliver more than 150 units of their newly designed 737 Max airplanes, making it the largest single-aisle jet order in Middle East history. The deal, which includes options for an additional 50 jets, is valued at $27 billion at current list prices.
The deal was announced this week was a part of their commitment at the 2017 Dubai Airshow. It allows flydubai to take advantage of the 737 MAX family’s flexibility and commonality while using the unique size and range of the MAX 8, MAX 9, and MAX 10 to suit its growing network.
Ghaith Al Ghaith, CEO, flydubai, said: “I am delighted that we end 2017 with today’s announcement representing the next chapter in flydubai’s success story. This is our largest order in our eight-year history and our third order with Boeing whose aircraft have given us the ability to carry 44 million passengers since we began operations. With up to 318 aircraft on order, we have become one of the world’s top 10 airlines in terms of order backlog and we look forward to continuing to enhance the connectivity of Dubai’s aviation hub.”
The MAX family of airplanes offers seating for 130 to more than 200 passengers with a range of 3,200 to 3,800 nautical miles. All of the jets use the latest technology CFM International LEAP-1B engines, Advanced Technology winglets and other improvements to deliver the highest efficiency, reliability and passenger comfort in the single-aisle market.
The 737 MAX has racked up 640 net orders this year and more than 4,200 orders since the programme launched, making MAX the best-selling airplane in Boeing history.
Ihssane Mounir, senior vice president, Global Sales & Marketing, Boeing Commercial Airplanes said, “We are excited to finalise this landmark agreement with our partners at flydubai and we thank them for placing their trust in the 737 MAX family.”