Southwest places orders for 150 new Boeing 737 MAX jets
14 Dec 2011
American carrier, Southwest Airlines, has announced an order for 150 new Boeing jets which will provide up to 18% more fuel efficiency than older models already in service with the airline.
The new order for the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, combined with a previous Southwest order for 200 of these jetliners, becomes the largest plane order in Boeing history. The Dallas-headquartered airline will be the launch customer for the 737 MAX.
The model is a narrow-body plane with a larger, quieter and more fuel-efficient engine than older models.
Without revealing financial details, Southwest said that it plans to spend, on average, $1.2 billion a year over the next 10 years on the new orders.
"The Southwest brand, with this order, is continuing well into the next decade," Southwest chief executive Gary Kelly said at a news conference.
The planes will be delivered starting 2012 through to 2022 and will replace older jetliners, such as 737-300s.
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