Dubai, Nov 19: Low-cost airline flydubai said it signed Wednesday an agreement with Boeing for 75 737 MAX aircraft valued at $13 billion, a day after announcing a similar initial deal with Airbus.
The Dubai-based group has announced initial orders for more than 200 planes from Boeing and Airbus in two days, as it pursues an expansion plan.
The two sides signed a memorandum of understanding at the Dubai Airshow, the group said in a statement, “for 75 firm 737 MAX aircraft, valued at USD 13 billion, and options for 75 more aircraft”.
Flydubai already operates a fleet of more than 90 Boeing 737 aircraft.
“Reliable aircraft availability and timely deliveries are vital to the ongoing growth of our industry, and this agreement ensures we remain well-positioned for future growth,” chairman Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum said.
The agreement is a boost to the US plane-maker as it tries to turn the page on a torrid period including deadly crashes, court cases and a strike in its defence arm, as well as delivery delays.
On Tuesday, flydubai announced its initial Airbus order and signed a memorandum of understanding for 150 A321neo jets worth $24 billion to be delivered from 2031.
At the end of last month, Boeing reported a third-quarter loss of $5.4 billion as massive added costs from the delayed certification of its 777X aircraft weighed down its results.
Flydubai also signed an agreement with SpaceX to introduce Starlink across its fleet, a day after Emirates said it would start rolling out Elon Musk’s satellite-powered network.
On Monday, Emirates, regarded as flydubai’s sister airline, ordered 65 Boeing jets in a $38 billion deal at the biennial airshow, the biggest in the Middle East.
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