Alaska Airlines firms order for 23+15 B737 MAX 9s

Alaska Airlines (AS, Seattle Tacoma Int’l) has announced in a stock market filing that it firmed an order for twenty-three B737-9s with a further fifteen options initially announced as a commitment in December 2020. The firm-ordered aircraft are due to deliver in 2023-2024, while the optioned aircraft, if firmed, would deliver between 2023 and 2026. Following the finalisation of the order, Alaska Airlines’ MAX 9 order book totals 68 aircraft, including 55 directly from Boeing and 13 from Air Lease Corporation. Out of that number, the airline has already taken delivery of four aircraft directly from the manufacturer, of which two are active on revenue flights, and the other two are operating test flights before induction. In total, including earlier commitments, it has 52 options for the aircraft. Alaska Airlines does not currently plan to add any other B737 MAX variants. The carrier will use the MAX 9s to replace A320-200s inherited after the takeover of Virgin America. The remaining twenty-one A320s are scheduled for retirement by the end of 2023.