Air India, Malaysia Airlines eye Boeing jets dumped by China
The shortage of new aircraft in the market has quickly led at least two airlines to consider a possible offer to Boeing for 737 MAX jets that are being returned by Chinese operators.
Air India and Malaysia Airlines are among them and are said to be in talks with the US planemaker to take over rejected aircraft.
Air India, part of the Tata Group, is in a booming phase and already has 41 737 MAXs that were previously destined for Chinese customers. The carrier currently has 190 orders for the single-aisle aircraft.
Malaysia Aviation Group, the parent company of Malaysia Airlines, has admitted that it is interested in acquiring surplus aircraft if original customers stop taking delivery of them.
MAG told outlet Bermana that it “is in conversation with Boeing about whether we can take over those slots.”
Malaysia has a lease agreement for 25 737 MAXs and plans to order 30 of the aircraft, including 12 737 MAX 10s, the largest variant of the jet that has not yet been certified.
The tariff war initiated by President Donald Trump has reportedly prompted the Chinese government to ban the country’s airlines from receiving new Boeing aircraft.
Two 737 MAX 8s that were to be delivered to Xiamen Air returned to the manufacturer’s headquarters in Seattle in recent days.
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