Aircraft lessor and airline operator Avia Solutions Group has ordered 40 Boeing 737 Max 8s, marking the company’s first direct purchase from the US manufacturer.
Boeing disclosed the deal on 12 November, saying that Avia Solutions also has “the potential to order” 40 more of the twinjets at a later date. It is not more specific and few details about the order are known.
Dublin-based Avia Solutions leases and operates assets under aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance (ACMI) agreements, also known as wet leases.
It does business through subsidiary airlines that include Lithuania’s Avion Express, Latvia’s SmartLynx Airlines, Slovakian carrier Air Explore, Turkey’s BBN Airlines, the UK’s Ascend Airways and Australia’s Skytrans.
“We have committed to a strategic approach of expanding our capacity to meet our customers’ seasonal needs, and our first order with Boeing is a key pillar of this,” says Avia Solutions chair Gediminas Ziemelis.
“This is a proud moment for all of us… and is testament to the fact that Avia Solutions Group is now entering a clear phase of sustained growth.”
Avia Solutions’ fleet already includes 737s, Airbus A320-family jets, Cessna 208B Caravans and De Havilland Canada Dash 8 turboprops.
The new 40-strong 737 Max order is Avia Solutions’ “first direct purchase with Boeing”, the US manufacturer says.
In the nine months to 30 September, Boeing landed total orders for 232 737 Max aircraft in 2024, though customers also cancelled deals covering 34 of the jets, leaving the airframer with 198 net orders.
Boeing is scheduled to disclose its October order and delivery activity later on 12 November.
