Boeing Forecasts Extended 737 Max Delays as Norwegian Airlines Confirms Operational Impact

Boeing has alerted its customers that deliveries of the Boeing 737 Max in 2024 and 2025 are expected to be delayed by an additional three to six months, with some aircraft originally planned for 2025 now likely slipping into 2026, according to a report by Bloomberg citing internal sources.

While Boeing has not commented on the report, the company is scheduled to publish its quarterly results on July 31, which may provide further clarity on delivery forecasts.

Norwegian Group, a significant customer of the Boeing Max with an order for fifty 737-8s and 30 options, as well as additional aircraft sourced through lessors, disclosed in its quarterly report on July 12 that its deliveries have been delayed by 8-11 months from the original schedule. The carrier noted that it had received partial compensation for the incurred delay costs but acknowledged that the delays were affecting its operations. The in-house fleet of Norwegian Air Shuttle AOC and Norwegian Air Sweden AOC for this summer includes eighty-six 737s (sixty-four 737-800s and twenty-two 737-8s), down by one from 87 aircraft.

Despite maintaining a capacity growth target of 12% in 2024, Norwegian has had to seek additional third-party capacity to mitigate the impact of the delays. It is currently wet-leasing two A320-200s from DAT. Norwegian revealed that it had spent NOK34 million Norwegian kroner (USD3.2 million) on ACMI contracts to counter the delivery delays in the second quarter of 2024.

“Growth for 2025 is expected to slow compared to 2024 due to aircraft delivery delays from Boeing. For the summer of 2025, the Norwegian fleet is forecasted to increase to above 90 aircraft,” the holding stated, adding that it was exploring opportunities to extend the leases of its current 737-800s for 2025 and 2026.

Norwegian currently anticipates its Boeing 737 Max deliveries between 2025 and 2028. The options, which can be converted to 737-10s, are scheduled for deliveries between 2028 and 2030.