WestJet Buys $6.3 billion Worth of Boeing 737s

Aug. 30, 2013
Canadian airline WestJet will renew and expand its fleet with 65 new Boeing 737-Max jets.

Aug. 29--A Canadian airline that's been a faithful Boeing customer Thursday announced it will renew and expand its fleet with 65 new Boeing 737-Max jets.

The order for 40 737 Max8s and 25 737 Max7s is worth $6.3 billion at list prices.

The first of the new jets will be delivered beginning in September 2017.

WestJet's mainline fleet now is all Boeing 737s. Its regional fleet is made up of Bombardier Q400 propjets.

WestJet is headed by Gregg Saretsky, who for several years was the marketing vice-president for SeaTac's Alaska Airlines.

Alaska's fleet is the same as WestJet's Boeing 737s and Bombardier Q400s. WestJet is Canada's second largest airline after Air Canada.

Including the potential order announced Thursday, WestJet will have 92 Boeing 737s on order including the existing 737 Next Generation aircraft.

Boeing is expected to deliver the first of the updated Max aircraft to its launch customer, American Airlines in the second quarter of 2017.

The 737 Max series of single-aisle planes will be at least 13 percent more fuel-efficient than the most efficient single-aisle aircraft. It will feature new engines, split wingtips and improved aerodynamics.

The planes will be built at Boeing's Renton plant.

Copyright 2013 - The News Tribune (Tacoma, Wash.)