Boeing, Xiamen Airlines Sign MoU For 737 MAX 200s

KUALA LUMPUR, July 12 (Bernama) -- Boeing and Xiamen Airlines have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the purchase of more 737 MAX 200s aircraft. In a statement, Boeing said the MoU, which was signed at the Farnborough Airshow in the United Kingdom Monday, would pave way for the purchase of up to 30 airplanes valued up to US$3.39 billion at current list prices. "Xiamen, which is already a 737 MAX customer, sees the MAX 200s as a fit for its low-cost subsidiaries, including Jiangxi Airlines and Hebei Airlines," Boeing said. Boeing Commercial Airplanes President and Chief Executive Officer Ray Conner said the market-leading efficiency and reliability of the 737 MAX 200s would enable Xiamen and its subsidiaries to expand its growing network while maintaining an optimal fleet. "The MoU further demonstrates the strength of our enduring partnership and we look forward to finalising the deal in the near future," he said. A subsidiary of state-owned China Southern Airlines, Xiamen Airlines currently operates an all-Boeing fleet of more than 140 airplanes, including six 787 Dreamliners, 130 Next-Generation 737s and four 757s. The Xiamen-based carrier planned to grow its operational fleet to 200 airplanes by the end of the decade and expand regionally with the new 737 MAX 200s, said Boeing. -- BERNAMA