Boeing’s 737 MAX and 787 Delays Force Alaska Airlines to Rethink Fleet Strategy, and More
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Production Snarls Push Alaska’s Boeing 787 and MAX Deliveries Till 2029
Boeing has notified Alaska Airlines of significant delays in 737 MAX and 787-9 Dreamliner deliveries, as reported by Flight Global based on Alaska Air Group’s recent SEC filing. It disrupts the carrier's fleet modernization and growth plans.
All this stems from Boeing's ongoing production challenges and uncertified MAX 10 models.
The setbacks complicate Alaska's integration of Hawaiian Airlines, which faces its own 787 delivery bottlenecks, and complicate Alaska's operational flexibility during peak travel periods.
Key Points
- 787-9 Delays: Hawaiian Airlines' 787-9s (10 undelivered) now face extended timelines, with original 2024–2027 deliveries pushed till 2029, hampering long-haul route expansions.
- 737 MAX Delays:
- 737-9 MAXs slated for 2024 now delayed to 2025.
- Six 737-8 MAXs shifted from 2025 to 2026.
- MAX 10 certification holdups defer 20 deliveries (3 in 2026, 17 in 2027+), limiting Alaska's high-capacity fleet options.
- Root Causes: Boeing's 2024 machinist strike, FAA-mandated 737 MAX production caps (38/month), and post-Alaska Flight 1282 quality audits exacerbated delays.
- Financial Risks: Alaska had earlier warned that delayed fleet growth could impair revenue targets.
- Fleet Adjustments: Alaska was gradually phasing out 737-900s in anticipation of newer MAX variants arriving. But this further delay complicates plans and leads to a need to fill this gap capacity shortfalls.
What It Means
Boeing’s delays forces Alaska into reactive mode: slower fleet growth risks ceding market share to Airbus-reliant rivals, while Hawaiian’s 787 delays undermine its long-haul competitiveness.
Alaska’s MAX 10 dependency leaves it vulnerable to further certification slippage. Boeing's CEO projects certification in the first half of 2025, but this is subject to FAA approval.
