
Boeing said that it now does not expect to win approval to return the 737 MAX to service until mid-year/iStock
by BloombergUAE’s flyDubai, the second-biggest customer for Boeing’s grounded 737 Max, is weighing leasing options after the US manufacturer said the plane will not be cleared to fly until the middle of this year.
In a statement, flyDubai said that it is are looking at wet-lease leasing options to add more capacity for the coming few months, adding that the discussions with Boeing regarding compensation are ongoing.
Gulf’s largest budget carrier has previously warned its operations will shrink to 2014 levels if the plane does not return to service soon. In a bid to add capacity, flyDubai has extended its wet-lease agreement for four Boeing 737 NG aircraft by a month till 29 February 2020.
The sister carrier of long-haul Emirates has pulled 14 MAX planes when the jetliner was grounded and short-to-medium-term a total order of 251 jets.
Boeing said that it now does not expect to win approval to return the 737 MAX to service until mid-year. The MAX jet had recently been expected to be approved by regulators to return to service in February or March 2020.
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