Industry Dubai Aerospace Enterprise orders 15 Boeing 737 MAX

Leasing company Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE) and manufacturer Boeing have signed a purchase agreement for 15 737-8 MAX aircraft. With the order, DAE seeks to modernize its portfolio in order to better its economic and environmental performance.

Firoz Tarapore, Chief Executive Officer of DAE, commented: "We are delighted to deepen our already strong relationship with Boeing. Including this order, we own and manage 162 Boeing aircraft. An increasing number of global aviation regulators are returning the MAX to the skies. We are confident in the success of these aircraft as domestic and regional air travel are seeing strong signs of recovery."

Ihssane Mounir, Boeing senior vice president of Commercial Sales and Marketing, added: "DAE has been instrumental in helping its customers realize the operating economics and environmental performance of the 737-8. We are delighted that they have come back to add more 737 aircraft to its growth plan as it positions itself for the recovery in commercial passenger traffic […] We are honored by DAE's trust in the 737 family, and we look forward to partnering with them to serve the fleet requirements of airlines around the world."

This latest order from DAE is the second investment of the company for the MAX series aircraft in the past year. Last year in the third quarter, the lessor signed an agreement with carrier American Airlines to purchase and lease back 18 new 737-8 aircraft.

Since then, the lessor was able to deliver a total of 17 aircraft to the U.S.-American airline. Previously, DAE completed a purchase and leaseback agreement with Brazilian carrier GOL. The deal was similar to the one agreed on with American Airlines.

Last month, Boeing was able to confirm a purchase agreement with American carrier Southwest Airlines for 100 firm aircraft. It was one of the largest orders since the pandemic began and showed, that airlines still believe in the aircraft, even though new problems surfaced recently.