Alaska Airlines orders 110 Boeing jets in its largest-ever purchase

Alaska Airlines said on Wednesday that it would buy 110 Boeing planes, the largest order in the airline’s history, as part of a plan to expand its network, including overseas, following its acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines. The airline will receive five 787 Dreamliners for long-distance international flights and 105 Max 10s, the largest version of the 737 Max family.

Alaska did not disclose the value of the deal, though the Times noted that an order of this size would typically cost billions of dollars. Ben Minicucci, Alaska’s chief executive, said in a statement, “This fleet investment builds on the strong foundation Alaska has created to support steady, scalable and sustained growth,” and added that the airline was “incredibly proud to be partnering with Boeing, a Pacific Northwest neighbor and a company that stands as a symbol of American innovation and manufacturing.” The announcement comes as Boeing seeks momentum after an incident two years ago in which a panel blew off one of its 737 Max planes operated by Alaska Airlines; no one was seriously injured, and the incident prompted major changes at Boeing, the Times reported.

Alaska has long operated an all-Boeing fleet, though it acquired a few dozen Airbus planes in its merger with Hawaiian Airlines, which will continue to fly under Hawaiian’s brand. Alaska said it has a fleet of 413 planes and expects to grow to 475 by 2030 and to more than 550 by 2035.

Key Topics

Business, Alaska Airlines, Boeing, Hawaiian Airlines, Ben Minicucci