Exciting 737 MAX Delivery

Boeing has made a landmark delivery of the 737 MAX to VietJet.

Vietnam celebrated the delivery at the Boeing Delivery Centre in Seattle, Washington, with it being attended by the President of Vietnam and other senior officials from the two nations.

Coinciding with the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations and normalisation between Vietnam and the United States, the delivery marks a significant milestone, representing the work that has been done and what the future holds.

The first 737-8 delivery, part of the MAX program, is part of a landmark order consisting of 200 jets and valued at list prices of US $32 billion.

While there are almost always hefty discounts handed down to new aircraft purchases, certainly visible through bulk orders such as these, they are not disclosed in the public domain.

VietJet says the new 737 MAX, alongside the reality of 199 more arriving in the future, are going to serve the high-demand regional routes where millions of travellers are expected to require crucial connectivity.

The first Boeing aircraft received under this historic order is the result of nearly a decade of partnership between Boeing and Vietjet. It marks the start of hundreds more deliveries in the years ahead. This milestone strengthens bilateral trade, symbolizes the U.S.–Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, and reflects our shared ambition to reach new heights in aviation. It also delivers real benefits to both economies and creates more jobs for the American people.

Vietjet Chairwoman Dr. Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao

The Vietnamese carrier is keen on utilising the efficiency of the 737 MAX to help deliver better travel opportunities to its customers and, in addition to that, also contribute to the sustainable development of the industry, not just regionally but on a global scale.

The Lengthy 737 MAX Delivery

For VietJet and Boeing, the delivery of these next-generation 737 MAX aircraft has been a long time in the making.

The airline’s order was first placed in the early to mid-2010s. At that point, it was half of what the final order is now, driven by two years after the first deal, the second part coming, where a further 100 aircraft were purchased.

As part of the airline’s commitment to the program, it had also secured delivery slots across a four-year period, which would stretch from 2019 to 2023.

However, its order and, therefore, delivery slots would also come moments before the demise of not just this single-aisle but, fundamentally, the Boeing that everyone once knew, impacting its ability to deliver these planes not just to VietJet but other global carriers.

For VietJet, the delays stretching nearly a decade have come with their frustrations, but also, equally for the airline, an opportunity to assess the best use of the 737 MAX moving forward.