Boeing’s 737 MAX program today secured new orders. The orders, from Poland’s Enter Air, mark a departure from the cancellations recently seen by the program. The Boeing 737 MAX is now in its 17th month of being grounded following two fatal crashes.
This year hasn’t been great for the 737 MAX in terms of new orders. In fact, following a year of the type being grounded, we have seen several carriers downsizing their outstanding commitments. However, during the aircraft’s grounding, orders have been trickling in, such as one from Kazakh low-cost carrier FlyArystan at last year’s Dubai Airshow.
Today’s order
While not being significant in terms of volume, today’s order from Enter Air is substantial. It comes at a time when orders for the type are slow, and new aircraft orders have all but ground to a halt due to the current situation.
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Poland’s Enter Air has committed to taking up to four more aircraft from the 737 family. Firstly, the airline has placed a firm order for two 737 MAX 8 aircraft, with two more options. Commenting on the order, Grzegorz Polaniecki, general director and board member at Enter Air said,
“Despite the current crisis, it is important to think about the future. 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.”
Simultaneously, Boeing announced that it had come to a settlement with the Polish airline regarding the ongoing situation with the 737 MAX. The American aerospace giant commented that the compensation would be provided in various forms over some time. However, details of the settlement remain confidential.
Polaniecki commented on the settlement,
“In the settlement with Boeing, we agreed to revise the delivery schedule for the previously-ordered airplanes in response to current market conditions. The specific terms of the settlement are strictly confidential, but we are pleased with the way Boeing has treated us as its customer.”
Who is Enter Air?
So we’ve heard about the new Boeing 737 MAX order, but who is the airline behind the order? Enter Air only began operations a decade ago in 2010. The airline’s first flight took place on April 25th of that year, seeing a Boeing 737 fly from Warsaw to Enfidha in Tunisia. The airline’s first year of operation was a success, as it carried 200,000 passengers to destinations all around the Mediterranean sea.
At the time, the airline started with just one Boeing 737 aircraft. According to Planespotters.net, the airline now has 24 Boeing 737s, including two grounded MAX aircraft. The airline’s fleet has an average age of 16.5 years.
The airline focuses on charter operations. However, it clocks in as the largest charter airline in the country. The airline has seven bases spread across Europe, including in London and Tel Aviv.
Have you flown with Enter Air? What do you make of their new aircraft order? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!