On Sunday Boeing, the largest aerospace company in the world, announced that it has an order for 50 jets in a deal worth $4.9 billion.
Garuda Indonesia, the flag-carrier airline of Indonesia, made the order. The size of the order was previously accounted for on Boeing’s Orders and Deliveries Web site, although the customer was unidentified.
Garuda Indonesia will be buying 46 Boeing 737 MAX 8s in addition to four Next-Generation 737-800s to 737 MAX 8s. It currently operates 77 Boeing 737s.
Airlines are set on updating their fleets with more fuel efficient planes.
The new 737 MAX are about 14% more fuel efficient than today’s most efficient 737s and 20% more efficient than the original Next-Generation 737s -when they first entered service. The 737 MAX 8 will have an 8 percent per seat operating cost advantage over the A320neo.
The first delivery of a 737 MAX to an airline is set for 2017.
Pictured below is an artist’s rendering of a Boeing 737 MAX:
CEO Emirsyah Satar, said:
“The 737 MAX 8 represents a bright, efficient future for Garuda Indonesia. This order helps continue our commitment to offer the people of Indonesia and Southeast Asia the most comfortable, most efficient air travel in the region.”
Dinesh Keskar, senior vice president, Asia Pacific and India Sales, Boeing Commercial Airplanes, said:
“The 737 MAX will be a great addition to the Garuda’s fleet. It will build on the strong tradition of service that Garuda Indonesia has established with the 737 family. This order demonstrates Garuda’s trust in Boeing and a strong commitment to operate the most fuel-efficient single-aisle airplanes in the market today and in the future.”
According to Boeing, the total number of 737 MAX orders (as of today) is 2,295, with 47 customer worldwide.
The aerospace giant has said that air cargo growth is forecast to grow by 4.7% annually over the next two decades and global air freight traffic will more than double by 2033.