Canadian airline WestJet has placed an order for 14 additional Boeing 737-700NGs, the manufacturer and airline each announced today. The Calgary-based, low-fare airline also announced plans to reschedule delivery of 16 of the single-aisle airplanes already on order, to “provide for a smoother aircraft delivery schedule and a more flexible fleet plan.” WestJet flies an all-Boeing fleet of 81 Next-Generation 737s.
With today’s order, WestJet’s delivery schedule calls for the shipment of 54 more 737s. “Thanks to our strong partnerships with Boeing and Aviation Capital Group [ACG], we were able to revise our aircraft delivery schedule to better match our strategic plans,” said WestJet President and CEO Sean Durfy. “Our previously published schedule saw us growing to a fleet size of 121 aircraft by 2013. The combination of deferred delivery dates on our existing orders, 14 new orders and 23 leases expiring between 2013 and 2016–each with the option to renew–gives us the flexibility to end 2016 with a fleet size between 112 and 135 aircraft.”
