Summary
- Allegiant Air expects to receive half of its planned Boeing MAX deliveries, managing through the delays with constant dialogue.
- Allegiant Air purchased 100 Boeing 737 MAX in January 2022, including 50 options and 50 firm orders, bumping up the number to a complete of 130 in October 2023.
- Ryanair also faces delays, planning to receive 17 fewer MAX aircraft, affecting airports with high costs during peak season.
Allegiant Air, the airline that is about to welcome its first Boeing 737 MAX aircraft in 2024, which has already been delayed, is anticipating to take delivery of half of the 737 MAXs than it initially planned for the 12 months. It becomes one more airline to be affected by Boeing delivery delays.
Managing through it
Greg Anderson, the President of Allegiant, told Reuters that the airline is planning to take delivery of 12 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft in 2024, half of the number initially anticipated. Nevertheless, Anderson said that with the carrier in constant dialogue with Boeing, it may manage the delays so long as the manufacturer provides updates on the situation.
Photo: Allegiant Air
Allegiant Air, which primarily operates second-hand Airbus A320ceo family aircraft, purchased 100 Boeing 737 MAX in January 2022. The order, split between 50 firm and 50 options for the 737 MAX 7 and 737 MAX 8-200, was described as opportunistic by Maurice Gallagher, the chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) of Allegiant, the parent company of Allegiant Air.
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Ryanair receiving 17 fewer 737 MAXs
In a press release on March 1, 2024, Ryanair said that it planned to receive delivery of 57 Boeing 737 MAX 8-200 aircraft for the upcoming peak summer season. As a substitute, the Irish low-cost carrier will only receive 40 units, posing an issue for the airline because it planned its schedule with not less than 50 recent 737 MAX aircraft.
Photo: Ryanair
Consequently, it would cut flights at airports with higher costs, equivalent to Dublin Airport (DUB), Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP), Warsaw Modlin Airport (WMI), and 4 Portuguese airports. Passengers have already received details about flight changes during July, August, and September.
Ryanair Warns That Aircraft Delivery Delays Will Push Air Fares Higher
The carrier is facing the prospect of a struggle to satisfy demand over the summer.
United Airlines affected by Airbus and Boeing delays
Lastly, United Airlines’ latest filing with the US Securities and Exchanges Commission (SEC) said that aircraft manufacturers, including Airbus and Boeing, had been contractually committed to deliver 182 aircraft. These are split between eight Boeing 787, 43 737 MAX 8, 34 737 MAX 9, 80 MAX 10, and 26 Airbus A321neo.
Photo: Robin Guess | Shutterstock
As a substitute, the airline will only take delivery of 88 aircraft, which incorporates no 737 MAX 10 aircraft, one fewer 787, six fewer 737 MAX 8, 15 fewer 737 MAX 9, and one fewer A321neo. The filing identified that the expected deliveries were adjusted following communication from Airbus, Boeing, and United Airlines’ estimates.
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