Boeing and Airbus Secure Major Deals as Airlines Expand Fleets

Image: China Airlines Airbus A350. (Photo Credit: russell102/Adobe Stock)

by Laurie Baratti
Last updated: 4:20 PM ET, Thu December 19, 2024

This week, two overseas airlines have announced substantial aircraft orders. Turkey’s Pegasus Airlines and Taiwan’s China Airlines have both secured deals with major planemakers to bolster their fleets with next-generation jets.

Boeing has confirmed a deal with Pegasus Airlines, Turkey’s leading low-cost carrier, for 100 737 MAX 10 aircraft. This new agreement provides a much-needed boost for Boeing, which has been navigating challenges including a seven-week worker strike earlier this year.?

After the usual industry discounts, this deal will be worth around $5.85 billion to the major aircraft manufacturer, Reuters reported. As a result, Boeing stock shares rose by 2.7 percent on Thursday morning.

The 737 MAX 10, the largest model in Boeing’s 737 MAX series, has now garnered over 1,200 total orders, Boeing said in a statement. While the aircraft has yet to secure certification from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) due to delays related to its engine anti-ice system, deliveries are slated to begin in 2028.

Pegasus’ agreement includes an option for an additional 100 jets, a decision that will be revisited based on market dynamics and operational needs.

Meanwhile, according to Bloomberg, China Airlines has unveiled plans to refresh its older fleet by ordering 24 long-range passenger and cargo jets from Boeing and Airbus. In a stock exchange filing Thursday, the Taiwan-based airline said it will purchase 10 each of Airbus and Boeing’s biggest twin-aisle passenger aircraft, namely the A350-1000 and B777-9, alongside four Boeing 777-8 freighters.

This marks the first time China Airlines has added the A350-1000 and 777-9 models to its roster, which already includes 15 Airbus A350-900s and older Boeing 777 variants. Its present fleet of over 80 planes is pretty well-balanced between the two manufacturers.

China Airlines declared the deal to be worth nearly $12 billion at list price, although airlines typically are able to negotiate considerable discounts from planemakers. Deliveries are set to begin in 2029.

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Laurie Baratti

Assistant Editor

Laurie Baratti is an Assistant Editor for TravelPulse. She is a San Diego-based journalist whose work has previously appeared in publications like TravelAge West, SPACE, Modern Home + Living, Montage, and Sandals Life magazines. Travel writing has long been her passion, and she is always looking for excuses to explore the world outside of her native California. Laurie is also a lifelong equestrian, a proud pet-parent, and an underground advocate of the Oxford comma.