(Reuters) – American Airlines Group Inc said on Wednesday it has agreed to buy an additional 23 737 MAX 8 aircraft from Boeing Co by exercising existing purchase options and deferring the delivery of some 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft.
The airline’s move to boost its 737 MAX fleet comes at a time when domestic travel in the United States is staging a recovery, despite the disruption caused by the Omicron variant of the coronavirus.
American Airlines said in a filing that it intends to convert seven more of its purchase options for the MAX this year, bringing its order of the 737 MAX 8 aircraft to 30.
The company has deferred the delivery of Boeing’s long-haul 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft that was scheduled to be handed over in January next year.
Deliveries of aircraft will now begin in the fourth quarter of 2023 and will continue into 2027, with four 787-9 aircraft now scheduled for delivery in 2023, American said.
Boeing, which is already paying penalties to American Airlines for pushing back deliveries, said it had incurred $4.5 billion charges in the fourth quarter on its 787 program that is grappling with production defects.
Boeing did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
(Reporting by Abhijith Ganapavaram in Bengaluru; Editing by Shounak Dasgupta and Aditya Soni)
