Reuters

Southwest Airlines removes MAX 7 from 2024 plans, cuts delivery forecast from Boeing

Abhijith Ganapavaram
Thu, Jan 25, 2024, 6:39 AM EST 2 min read

By Abhijith Ganapavaram

(Reuters) - Southwest Airlines said on Thursday it was expecting to take fewer deliveries of Boeing's 737 MAX aircraft and it had left out the MAX 7 model, which is mired in certification delays, from its 2024 fleet plans.

The U.S. budget carrier, one of Boeing's loyal customers, expects to take delivery of 79 MAX aircraft this year, compared with its previous estimate of 85, due to the planemaker's supply-chain challenges and the current status of the MAX 7 certification.

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Southwest's move to remove the smaller MAX 7 from its fleet plans follows United Airlines' announcement earlier this week that it would build a fleet plan without the larger MAX 10, certification of which is also likely to be delayed.

Southwest, the largest customer of the MAX 7, told Reuters in November last year it was expecting the plane to be certified by the FAA by April, allowing it to start flying the aircraft in October and November this year.

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