Low-cost Turkish airline Pegasus Airlines placed a significant order for at least one hundred Boeing 737-10 MAX jets. After months of slow orders, this latest order is a boost for the manufacturer.
Pegasus has been loyal to the Boeing brand of aircraft since its inception 35 years ago. The reason for the large order of 737-10 jets is so the airline can ‘meet growing travel demand’.
New Wings for Pegasus
Boeing announced on Thursday that Pegasus Airlines had placed an order of at least 100 737-10 MAX aircraft. Pegasus can also exercise an option to order 100 more in the deal, for a potential of 200 aircraft in the entire order.
The 737-10 MAX is the company’s largest jet to date, with up to 230 seats and a range of 3,100 nautical miles (5,740 kilometers). This current-gen aircraft also reduces fuel use and emissions by 20% compared to previous-gen aircraft.
Pegasus Airlines CEO Güliz Öztürk had these encouraging words during the Boeing press release:
“Boeing aircraft have been an integral part of our operations since Pegasus entered the aviation industry in 1990. We are pleased to be expanding our fleet with the new Boeing 737-10 model aircraft. We continue to invest in our fleet in line with our growth targets in Türkiye and globally, and to expand our network by launching new routes.”
Boeing President and CEO Stephanie Pope also expressed her excitement on the airline’s decision to order new 737-10 MAXes.
“We have been a proud partner of Pegasus Airlines since their inception and we are excited to welcome them as the newest 737 MAX customer…We appreciate their trust in the Boeing team and we look forward to delivering on the 737-10 and its promise of greater efficiency, versatility and reliability.”
This new order brings the total number of 737 MAX family jets on order overall to over 1,200.
Where Both Companies Currently Stand
Pegasus is looking to receive new aircraft for connections all over Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. Pegasus also has nine Boeing 737-8s currently on order. From Airbus, Pegasus is waiting on six A320-200s, 46 A320-200 neos, and 57 A321-200NXes. All of the A321s on order are scheduled to be delivered to Pegasus by 2029.
In 2023, Pegasus executives claimed the airline would switch to an all-Airbus fleet and would phase out its Boeing jets.
According to Boeing’s Commercial Market Outlook, airlines based in Europe and Asia will acquire nearly 8,000 single-aisle jets by 2055.
As of September 2024, Boeing has outstanding debts of about $57.65 billion. The company has suffered financial losses for six years due to safety issues, production delays, and worker strikes. In late October, the company managed to raise $21 billion through a stock fundraising effort.
