Boeing Co. extended its sales streak of 737 Max jets as Alaska Air Group Inc. boosted an order agreement to 68 jets and announced plans to return to a fleet with a single aircraft type.
The airline will return its Airbus SE A320-family planes, which it got from buying Virgin America four years ago, as their leases expire, Alaska Chief Executive Officer Brad Tilden said ahead of the Tuesday announcement. Before the Virgin America deal, the Seattle-based airline had a long history as an all-Boeing operator and corporate neighbor of the planemaker’s factories.
The Alaska order buttresses Boeing’s effort to sell the Max despite the worst aviation downturn on record and the longest grounding in US history, as airlines press for discounts and prepare for an eventual travel rebound. With the deal, Boeing continued to boost sales of its workhorse single-aisle jets since US officials cleared the Max to resume flying last month, including a 75-plane order by Ireland’s Ryanair Holdings Plc.
