Polish charter airline, Enter Air, has placed an order for two new 737-8 Max aircraft, marking the first order for the plane since it was grounded in 2019 following two fatal crashes.
Boeing has spent billions on getting the grounded Max back into service and recently came a step closer to achieving its goal after the FAA presented the air framer with a list of fixes.
“Despite the current crisis, it is important to think about the future,” said Grzegorz Polaniecki, general director and board member, Enter Air, which is Poland’s largest charter carrier.
“To that end, we have agreed to order additional 737-8 aircraft. Following the rigorous checks that the 737 Max is undergoing, I am convinced it will be the best aircraft in the world for many years to come,” Polaniecki said.
The grounding of the Max – which was Boeing’s best-selling plane – has cost the manufacturer some $20 billion so far. The FAA recently completed flight tests of the updated aircraft and Boeing hopes to have the plane in service before the end of the year, although the coronavirus crisis means few airlines are hurrying to get more jets into the air.
Enter Air already has 22 Next-Generation 737s and after receiving its new Max’s it will have a fleet of 10 Max planes.
Enter Air and Boeing have also agreed a compensation deal to address the commercial impacts stemming from the grounding of the Max.
“In the settlement with Boeing, we agreed to revise the delivery schedule for the previously-ordered airplanes in response to current market conditions,” said Polaniecki.
“The specific terms of the settlement are strictly confidential, but we are pleased with the way Boeing has treated us as its customer.”
Ihssane Mounir, senior vice president of commercial sales and marketing, The Boeing Company, said: “We are humbled by Enter Air’s commitment to the Boeing 737 family. Their order for additional 737-8s underscores their confidence in the airplane and the men and women of Boeing.”
