São Paulo – This Monday (1st), the Brazilian airline GOL and the United States-based aircraft manufacturer Boeing have announced that the former will purchase 60 new model 737 MAX aircraft. According to Boeing, the order is worth US$ 6 billion, based on list prices. Delivery of the first unit is expected in 2018.
According to the GOL CEO Paulo Kakinoff, the new units will help the company keep a modern fleet and enable it to sustain a “competitive advantage in the long term” by using the low-cost model adopted by GOL since its inception 12 years ago. The company, however, had to cut costs recently after incurring operational losses. Flights were rescheduled and employees were laid off in the last few months.
The new 737 models are an updated version of Boeing’s top-selling model, the 737. The single-aisle model is used in regional flights. Once it starts operating, the 737 MAX will consume 13% less fuel than the single-aisle models currently flown by the company. According to Boeing, the purchase announced by GOL this Monday increases the firm order backlog for the 737 MAX to 724.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
