China Aircraft Lessor Orders 50 737 MAX Jets, Boosting Boeing – Reuters

China Development Bank Financial Leasing announced that its aircraft leasing unit intends to order 50 Boeing 737 MAX 8 jets, providing a significant boost to the aerospace manufacturer. This development comes amidst a decline in Chinese orders and ongoing labor strikes at Boeing.

Since the deterioration of Sino-U.S. trade relations in 2018 and the extended process of bringing the MAX back into service in China following two fatal crashes, new aircraft purchases by Chinese customers have decreased substantially.

The recent order represents the largest by a Chinese customer since China Southern Airlines placed a similar order for 50 MAX planes in 2015, as per available data. Boeing opted not to comment on the matter.

In recent months, Boeing’s aircraft deliveries to China have shown signs of gradual recovery after a long pause. CDB Aviation Lease expects to receive the new jets between 2028 and 2031, which will enhance the proportion of next-generation aircraft within its fleet.

This agreement was made public shortly after over 30,000 Boeing factory workers initiated a strike demanding better pay, which has caused a halt in the production of the popular MAX model among other aircraft.

Additionally, Boeing announced that a significant number of workers will be temporarily suspended due to the ongoing strike.

The MAX order marks the second substantial aircraft transaction from China Development Bank Financial Leasing in the past week, following its recent announcement to acquire 80 Airbus A320neo planes, with deliveries anticipated to start in 2030.