China’s CDB Financial cancels purchase of 29 Boeing 737 MAX jets

Boeing; 737MAX first flight

China Development Bank (CDB) Financial Leasing said it had agreed with Boeing to cancel the purchase of 29 undelivered 737 MAX jets, adding to a string of recent cancellations of the grounded airplane.

The model has been grounded globally for more than a year following deadly crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia.

“In light of evolving aviation market dynamics, we’ve been working together with Boeing over many months to re-calibrate our MAX orderbook to be in line with our long-term view of the market and related opportunities,” Xuedong Wang, chairman of CDB Financial unit CDB Aviation, said in a statement.

The lessor said it retained an order for another 70 of the planes that also have yet to be delivered.

Boeing recorded a total of 150 MAX cancellations in March, including 75 from Irish leasing company Avolon. Boeing remains in talks with regulators seeking approval to return the plane to service, but its customers have also seen a sharp fall-off in demand due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Boeing said in a statement it continued to partner with leasing company customers to help them balance their portfolios in a challenging market.