New Leases Expand Fleet of 737s In Canadian Service

Avolon and the China Development Bank Financial Leasing company have signed deals to lease additional Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft to Canadian LCC WestJet.

The deals see Avolon provide a pair of Boeing aircraft, with China Development leasing 3. All aircraft will be brand new, like the rest of WestJet's upcoming fleet. All in all, the firm will receive as many as 22 737 MAX aircraft before the end of 2025, with up to 62 additional aircraft by the end of 2028.

"We are adding these five aircraft to our 737 MAX family very soon and look forward to this additional capacity enhancing our already forecasted fleet expansion, further enabling our execution of providing affordable and diverse air travel options for our guests," said Mike Scott, WestJet Group, Executive Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer. "As Canada's coast-to-coast leisure champion and western home carrier, the continued expansion of our fleet in tandem with our low-cost foundation is a key accelerator of our growth strategy."

"CDB Aviation values our expanding relationship with WestJet and we are pleased to be able to support the airline's fleet expansion in an environmentally friendly manner as we lease these three new fuel-efficient B737-8 aircraft direct from our orderbook," stated Jie Chen, CDB Aviation's Chief Executive Officer.

FMI: www.westjet.com