Canadian airline, WestJet has announced the acquisition of five brand new Boeing 737 MAX 8 to its fleet, adding to the airline’s already significant multi-billion-dollar investment in its orderbook. The airline expects to receive delivery of the aircraft in early 2025, after recently completing leasing agreements with CDB Aviation for three aircraft and international aircraft leasing company, Avolon for two aircraft. Combined with its existing order book, WestJet will now receive as many as 22 brand-new Boeing 737 MAX airplanes before the end of 2025, and up to 62 additional airplanes of this type before the end of 2028. This makes WestJet’s narrowbody orderbook the largest of any Canadian airline. WestJet launched in 1996 with three aircraft, 250 employees, and five destinations, growing over the years to more than 180 aircraft, 14,000 employees, and more than 100 destinations in 26 countries.
Commenting on the deal, WestJet Group, Executive Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer, Mike Scott said, “We are adding these five aircraft to our 737 MAX family very soon and look forward to this additional capacity enhancing our already forecasted fleet expansion, further enabling our execution of providing affordable and diverse air travel options for our guests. As Canada’s coast-to-coast leisure champion and western home carrier, the continued expansion of our fleet in tandem with our low-cost foundation is a key accelerator of our growth strategy.”
Also commenting was CDB Aviation’s Chief Executive Officer, Jie Chen who added, “CDB Aviation values our expanding relationship with WestJet and we are pleased to be able to support the airline’s fleet expansion in an environmentally friendly manner as we lease these three new fuel-efficient B737-8 aircraft direct from our orderbook.”
