B737MAX close to return, while lessors and airlines cancel orders

The FAA is expecting to finalize its review on the B737MAX-improvements next week, clearing the way for airlines to start using the aircraft again. It's good news for Boeing, which has been struggling since the type's grounding in March 2019.

However, not all is peachy for Boeing, as several lessors and airlines decided to cancel outstanding B737MAX-orders in the third quarter of 2020. We already reported on the Air Canada cancellation of ten planes, but also Smartwings (one), Oman Air (three) and an unidentified customer cancelled four. Several leasing companies also decided to scrap orders. These are Air Lease (fourteen), AerCap (24) and CDB Leasing (four).

Quite a few of these aircraft have already been produced. According to Bloomberg a total of around 450 B737MAXs have been built and of those up to 25% have been cancelled by customers, so roughly 110 planes are orphaned. Bloomberg also reported that Boeing is in discussion with several airlines to see if they are interested in these aircraft. It's said that the manufacturer was talking with Delta Air Lines for 40 B737MAXs, with Southwest for 30 and with Alaska Airlines for an unspecified number. So far these discussions haven't lead to anything concrete, but we at Scramble would not be surprised to see some announcements accompanying the news of the return to the skies of the MAX later this month.

Photo by Boeing