Alaska Airlines increases E175, B737 MAX orders

Alaska Airlines (AS, Seattle Tacoma Int’l) has ordered seventeen incremental E175s and, at the same time, has firmed options for thirteen B737-9s. The carrier said the nine 76-seat Embraer regional jets would be placed with its regional subsidiary Horizon Air (QX, Seattle Tacoma Int’l). Five are scheduled to deliver in 2022, and the remaining in 2023. Horizon Air currently operates thirty E175s and has a further three on firm order, estimated for delivery in 2022. All of its E175s are owned by Horizon Air, the ch-aviation fleets ownership module shows. The airline also operates thirty-two DHC-8-Q400s for Alaska Airlines. The remaining eight E175s will be delivered to independent regional capacity provider SkyWest Airlines (OO, Salt Lake City) in 2022. SkyWest currently operates 193 E175s, including 32 for Alaska Airlines (owned by the regional carrier) and the remainder for Delta Air Lines and United Airlines. It has twenty units of the type on firm order from Embraer and will operate them for American Airlines. “Regional aircraft play a huge role in Alaska’s growing network. As our network expands, regional aircraft connect smaller communities to our larger hubs providing critical feed to assist in the development of new markets,” said Nat Pieper, Senior Vice-President (Fleet, Finance and Alliances). Alaska Airlines said that its thirteen now firmed B737-9 options will deliver in 2023 (nine) and 2024 (four). The conversion increases the total number of Boeing narrowbodies the carrier has on firm order from the manufacturer and Air Lease Corporation to 81, of which it has so far taken delivery of four. Alaska Airlines now has thirty-nine B737-9 options remaining.