China Southern, based in Guangzhou, led the way earlier this year as restrictions eased and the airline resumed MAX operations. Although the carrier did not officially confirm, it is expected to be the first to receive deliveries once they resume. Various media reports suggest that the resumption of deliveries could be imminent, leading to a 3% increase in Boeing’s stocks in New York.
Boeing had been dependent on the Chinese government’s decision to ease restrictions. In a statement, Boeing mentioned its continued support for its Chinese customers, with over 95% of their existing 737 MAX fleet already in service. The company expressed readiness to deliver to its customers when the time comes for deliveries to resume.
China was the first country to ground the Boeing 737 MAX following fatal accidents involving Ethiopian Airlines and Lion Air. These accidents resulted in the loss of all passengers onboard. The first crash occurred on October 29th, 2018, involving Lion Air flight JT610, while the second crash was Ethiopian Airlines flight ET302 on March 10th, 2019.
China Southern led the way in relaunching MAX operations in January of this year, with other airlines following suit. By June, over 90% of the 737 MAX fleet had returned to service, mainly on regional routes.
Due to heightened tensions between the United States and China, coupled with the MAX grounding, Boeing had lost market share to its European competitor, Airbus. Despite this, Boeing had continued to manufacture the aircraft for Chinese customers, completing 130 MAX planes destined for China, according to Reuters.
According to Airfleets data, among the three major Chinese carriers, China Southern operates the largest number of 737 MAX 8 aircraft, with 23 in operation, one in storage, and an additional 25 on order. Air China operates 12, with two grounded and 12 more on order. Lastly, China Eastern has three in operation, with two more slated for delivery according to Boeing’s records.
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SOURCE: http://simpleflying.com
